Here are the issues discussed during the last meetings of the Labour Relations Committee:
Self-scheduling Report — Following a presentation on this joint report with the Commissioner and his team which recommended extending three-way shift trades, we have an agreement in principle to move this particular issue forward. The National Joint Scheduling Committee is currently working to adjust SDS to facilitate three-way shift trades. Once the technical adjustments are made to SDS, we will work with CSC to make any necessary adjustments to the policy bulletin on shift exchanges, if necessary. More to come on this file in the future.
Grievances
- 200 hours — We compiled a list of related grievances & corrective action requested by the grievors with CSC. We are working with CSC to conclude TOS (Terms of Settlement) in the first category of grievances; converting unauthorized leave without pay to Authorized Leave with Pay (UALWOP). We continue to work at concluding this file and give updates as things progress.
- IODL Grievance — CSC has already put many members back from WCB to IODL. The complicating factor is ensuring differences in WCB pay by province does not affect the workers’ compensation, so CSC is reaching out to ESDC to clarify any concerns with this. We also need to ensure that Phoenix does not complicate leave reimbursements, etc. In the interim, CSC has promised to provide us with a Memorandum of agreement (MOU) to move this file forward. More to come on this issue.
- Terms of settlement for grievances (TOS) — We are waiting for CSC to provide us with a final proposal on standardizing terms of settlement language for grievances
- Meal Grievances— We met the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLRB) on November 30, 2017, with CSC, to discuss prioritizing some of these grievances for mediation and arbitration. We followed up with a letter including a list of these priority grievances. We are still waiting on CSC to choose which ones they wish to move forward.
Employee Rights & Privileges document during an investigation — We are still waiting for CSC to counter propose something on this. After removing our demand from the negotiating table as a show of good faith, we have agreed in principle with CSC that a manager directly involved in an incident with one of our members should not be the person hearing the grievance or dispensing the discipline. In other words, should not be judge, jury and executioner. More to come on this.
Cowansville Discipline — We are still waiting for CSC to respond to excessive discipline given to one member following an incident at that institution. Ongoing.
New Compassionate Transfer Protocol — We have reached an agreement with CSC on a refined compassionate transfer protocol that clearly identifies criteria and procedures to qualify for such a deployment. We are waiting for CSC to rescind the old protocol and release the new one.
CD 004 — Following several meetings with CSC on the new draft deployment standards, we are still waiting for them to come back to us on the concerns we raised. We also questioned them on additional resources required to meet the new administrative segregation guidelines CD 709 with respect to additional yard time & cell effects within 24 hours of admittance. CSC informed us that additional CX resources were given in the 2017 budget as part of conditions of confinement. CSC is to provide us the standards for this which will be built into appendix “B” and will provide us the standard for the additional therapeutic resource for mental health units in treatment centres.
Penn Arms multi launcher gas gun pilot – The employer informed us that they have discontinued this pilot, citing some issues with the project. They have provided the evaluation of this pilot to us for our review.
Engagement & Intervention Model (EIM) — On December 19, the Union met with CSC and conveyed numerous concerns with this new model particularly from the Pacific region with respect to training delivery. For the Union, there is very little to no clarity around what passive resistant and passive aggressive means. Inmate behaviours have been removed from this use of force model which also adds to the confusion. In addition to this, some trainers have also relayed concerns about the new model. A meeting with the Union and trainers occurred in the week of January 8 to 12 to discuss these issues. We will continue discussions with CSC nationally.
We also discussed the issue of the CX2 sector coordinator and tabled our many concerns with this new role. We also pointed out to CSC that the Union had relayed many concerns back to the employer when consulted on CD 567 (management of security incidents), related to the position of sector coordinator. More discussions to come on this issue with CSC in February.
Incidents RPC (Saskatoon) — We raised serious concerns about the high number of security incidents and assaults on staff at RPC that has led to numerous staff being off work with related injuries to these incidents. The employer informed us that they are taking a closer look at what is happening here and they are working to strengthen management protocols to effectively manage high-risk inmates. We reiterated to the employer that the diminished use of segregation, due to recent policy changes is, in our opinion, one of the root causes of numerous incidents and assaults.
40 mm gas gun at Archambault —This has been resolved and, as agreed with CSC, where there was 37 mm gas gun before, it will be replaced with a 40 mm.
Fentanyl Protocol— We have tabled our edits to the Highly Toxic Substance Protocol (fentanyl) with CSC and we are waiting to hear back from CSC. CSC has also agreed and tendered out ventilation hoods for installation in all V&C’s. More to come on this file.
CD 568-8 (CM’s monitoring cameras – privacy issues) — After winning a privacy complaint where CSC was supposed to change their policy, we again consulted with the Privacy Office and sent back additional concerns to CSC and we are waiting to hear back from them.
Dual Threat Vests —This file has been moved to the National Safety and Security Committee table. We have now piloted vests that meet the technical specifications in each of the regions for selected members to wear and provide feedback by completing a thorough evaluation. More to come on this file as things progress.
Miranda cards — We asked CSC about Miranda cards surfacing and what CSC is intending to do with them. We asked CSC what is the expectation for members to carry the cards and when they should be used. We explained to CSC that they were issued in the past during training, but we have not seen them in years. CSC will, as part of issuing, clarify in a bulletin what they are to be used for. More to come on this file.
Gloves & Escort Vehicles — We continue to consult on these two items with CSC nationally and both items have now been moved to the National Safety and Security Committee. The next NSSC meeting is February 2, 2018.
Your National Executive