MOUNTIES WANT A RAISE
They earn less than officers in most municipal forces
The cost of keeping the RCMP’S red serge on Canada’s streets is set to increase, as the Mounties first ever union wants to raise officers pay.
RCMP officers were prohibited from organizing into a union for most of their history, but the Supreme Court struck down the law preventing it in 2015.
The National Police Federation was certified as the force’s union last year, with overwhelming support from officers. Last week, Brian Sauvé, a sergeant and 12-year-veteran of the force, was elected as the organization’s first president.
Sauvé said he has been talking with members all along and their demands have shifted, but now they are focused on pay.
“If you were talking to them two years ago, their first priority was resource levels,” he said. “If you’re talking to them today, it’s money. That’s their No. 1 priority.”
Mounties make less than officers in most municipal forces right across the country. Working for the RCMP an officer starts at an annual salary of $53,144. That rises quickly to the point where they can make $86,110 in their third year.
An Edmonton police constable starts at $69,107 in their first year, they make slightly less than Mounties in their third year, but by their fifth year on the job they can make more than a $100,000. An RCMP officer would have to be promoted several times to hit that same pay level.
Halifax Police constables start at $59,155 and can make up to $98,592. Officers in Vancouver and Toronto start around $70,000 a year and within four years can be making over $100,000, according to the force’s recruitment websites.
Sauvé said addressing that gap is something his members want, but he concedes it might not be achievable in the first contract. Especially, because officers want to hold onto some benefits that are better than municipal police forces.
“If we are just talking about the hourly wage, we will probably propose something similar to pay parity,” he said. “They would expect us to try. Would we expect to get that? I don’t think so.”
With more than 20,000 officers across Canada the costs of a raise could quickly add up, but the federal government won’t be paying the lion’s share of the costs. The RCMP offers contract policing in most of the country, with only Ontario and Quebec having provincial police forces.
The contract, in place until 2032, sees the provinces pay 70 per cent of costs with the federal government covering the remaining 30 per cent. In some larger municipalities, the local community pays 90 per cent of the cost and the federal government covers 10 per cent.
The union will negotiate with the federal treasury board on the new deal, but provinces will be paying most of any increased costs.
Coreen Enos, a spokesperson for the New Brunswick Public Safety minister, said they understand that they won’t be players in the negotiations, but hope costs are part of the discussion.
“We are taking care to ensure both parties to the negotiations understand the critical importance of RCMP policing being not only effective, but also affordable.
Officials in Saskatchewan said they’re aware of the issue, but declined to speculate on the negotiations.
Treasury board spokesperson Martin Potvin said they also couldn’t comment on the details of upcoming negotiations, but said they want to strike a balance.
“We are committed to negotiating in good faith with the National Police Federation to reach an agreement that is fair for RCMP members and reservists, as well as reasonable for Canadian taxpayers.
The Alberta and British Columbia governments did not respond before press time.
This past weekend, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced a “fair deal” panel for the province, which aims to explore the province collecting its own taxes, creating a provincial pension plan and possibly a province police force to replace the RCMP.
Sauvé, who doesn’t become president officially until January, said he’s aware provinces will be footing the bill, but said he doesn’t believe many will turn away from the RCMP, because the alternative is incredibly expensive.
“The cost of creating a police force today is massive.”
Surrey, B.C., which is currently the largest RCMP detachment in the country, is looking to transition to a municipal police force with a projected launch in 2021.
An independent report on the change, found startup costs estimated at around $40 million and the force was projected to cost the community nearly $20 million more annually.
He said right now RCMP brass meet annually with provincial premiers, but those politicians don’t get to hear the full perspective.
“The rest of the story will be delivered to them versus just the corporate story.”
Sauvé said the union also wants to look at issues around staffing levels and ensuring officers have the right supports and equipment. He pointed to the force’s rollout of carbine rifles, which took several years.
As an essential service, Mounties won’t be able to strike and Sauvé said until the two sides are actually at the table, they don’t know if they are far apart. Failure to reach a deal will send the parties through a mediation and arbitration process.
He said should an impasse develop, officers can stick strictly to their duties.
“We can encourage following the rules of the day,” he said. “We don’t do things for free anymore.”
WE DON’T DO THINGS FOR FREE ANYMORE.