The Harper government is expected to table legislation today that would ease a long-standing ban on collective bargaining in the RCMP, following a court ruling that concluded the prohibition on unionization was unconstitutional.
The April 2009 decision in Ontario Superior Court gave the government 18 months to change its law, which Justice Ian MacDonnell said was a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ guarantee of free expression.
“All I can say is the court indicated there is a charter right for the RCMP to decide whether or not they wish to unionize,” Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Wednesday when asked about the issue on Parliament Hill.
A source said he expects the proposed legislation would give the members of the national police force the leeway to decide among themselves how they would like to organize.
The RCMP is the only police force in the country whose members are not permitted to unionize, because of its history of being a quasi-military organization that sets it apart from the rest of the unionized public service.
[Source]
That the RCMP now wants to unionize should not be a surprise. It continues its downward spiral into the non-professional hole with teachers unions and the like. The RCMP stopped operating as a meritocracy some time ago and is now just another bureaucracy like those under the umbrella of CUPE or the various Provincial Service unions. Unless the RCMP can return to a meritocracy it probably should not be allowed to survive on the taxpayer dime.
If we need a federal high end investigative institution, then let’s pare back this Musical Ride into something that makes sense in a world of homegrown jihadists where a cooperative Interpol can try to keep us safe. There are no doubt hard working individuals within the moribund RCMP who deserve a better job. Let them transition their seniority over to the Provinces who run their own police force, albeit unionized but usually sensible operations that believe in meritocracy.
I’ll leave this for the “Queen’s Cowboys” to respond to. My view is that they have just made a major breakthrough after decades of fighting with their bosses and politicians.
I wish them well and recommend “not a union”. Rather an association built on what the OPP now have. Binding arbitration and all that.
I feel it will work fine and bring them all into the 21st century.
http://www.oppa.ca/
Most of the problems would be solved if the federal gov’t returned the “feet on the ground” aspect of policing back to the provinces. This isn’t the wild west that existed when the RNWMP was originally formed. Let the provinces and their police unions deal with all the “labor” issues. The federal gov’t should get back to doing only federal responsibilities. Concentrate on border security, both at land and sea.
Having said that, I believe the federal gov’t just loves having the power and resources that come with being involved with contract policing. The have a ready pool of officers at their behest anytie they need them, and likely don’t want to give that up. If the provinces were smart they would recognize this and carve out a better deal with the feds.
mid island mike
I’m pretty sure the RCMP rank and file will opt for an association somewhat as the OPP has, Jack. Not even once did I hear anyone in the RCMP advocate for a union, or the ability to strike. They’re overwhelmingly dedicated men and women I think that working side by side with civilians represented by the assinine PSAC for decades has pretty much turned the vast majority of the RCMP member’s stomachs on unions. Times might have changed, but I doubt it.