Negotiations 08- 10 February 2012

Best Western Lakeside Inn

Kenora, Ontario

February 10, 2011

Bargaining Bulletin – Treaty Three Police Officers Union

Dear Members:

Your Bargaining Team had just concluded a difficult session of negotiations with Treaty Three Police Service.

In January, your Union tabled proposals for wage increases that included the following:

Move every employee to the appropriate place on the Salary Grid negotiated in 2009, effective on date of ratification of this agreement

Apply the 2.25% wage increase negotiated for 2010 retroactive to January 1, 2010

Apply the 2.00% wage increase negotiated for 2011 retroactive to January 1, 2011

Apply a 3.20% wage increase retroactive to January 1, 2012 (based on inflation) Apply a 2.00% wage increase effective January 1, 2013 (based on inflation)

At the bargaining table this past week (February 8 through February 10, 2010) the Service demanded that employees pay 50% of extended health care premiums and 100% of short-term and long-term disability insurance premiums in exchange for wage increases.

Under the Employer’s proposal, more than half of our members would essentially realize no increase in take-home pay by the time they paid their benefit costs, roughly amounting to $3,250 per year for a family plan; some members would get a small increase, and a handful would get no increase at all in the first year and therefore be $3,250 in the hole.

We told the Service that their proposal was smoke-and-mirrors: They are essentially asking us to pay for our own wage increase by taking money out of one of our pockets and putting it back in the other.

In addition, we would have no control over premium increases in future years, as these are negotiated between the Employer and the insurance carrier.

Your Bargaining Team told the Employer in no uncertain terms that we are not interested in bargaining concessions. Treaty Three police officers have not seen a wage increase since January, 2009. Now is not the time to take more money out of our pockets.

We expect to be back at the bargaining table in late March, trying to reach agreement on some outstanding language issues before we reach impasse and require the assistance of a federal conciliator, or send our outstanding issues to arbitration.

Meanwhile, in January, we did sign off on amendments to the following articles:

 Article 39 – Layoff and Recall  Article 42 – Labour-Management Committee  Article XX – Health and Safety  Article XX – Leave for Ceremonial and Cultural Pursuits

In addition, we agreed to delete Article 41 — Temporary Postings.

We are clearly nearing a critical time in these negotiations. We may need to call on our members to show solidarity and demonstrate clearly to the Service that after three years of no wage increases, it’s time to pay us what we deserve.

Your Bargaining Team appreciates your support.

In solidarity,

Mike Bennett, President

Carl Bryant, Treasurer

Mark Marchuk, South Sub-Division

Gail Lem, PSAC Negotiator