Winnipeg, MB - Tomorrow, Executive Policy Committee (EPC) and Council will be voting on the ratification of the longest, most sustainable negotiated agreement in almost 20 years between the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Police Association (WPA).
“I want to thank the negotiating committees for working together on this agreement,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “I am pleased that what is coming forward for approval to Executive Policy Committee and Council is a negotiated settlement representing the longest, most sustainable negotiated agreement in almost 20 years between the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Police Association, while also reflecting the essential services the men and women of our police service perform for all of us.”
The Memorandum of Agreement between the City and the WPA is for a five year term from December 2016 until December 2021, and includes general wage adjustments of 2.5% at the end of 2017, 2018 and 2019, with an additional 1% in June 2020, 1.5% in December 2020, 1% in June 2021, and 1.5% in December 2021. On a calendar year basis, the General Wage increases net of concessions each year of the agreement are 2.49% in 2017, 2.61% in 2018, 1.63% in 2019, 1.61% in 2020, and 1.59% in 2021.
The Agreement also includes significant concessions including:
- Civilianization of 30 positions in the Central Processing Unit and the Central Reading Unit which will result in savings of $5.33 million over the next five years,
- Reduction of the minimum overtime paid for a court appearance while off duty or after late shift from four hours to three hours which will result in savings of $255,000 over the next five years.
Additional changes include:
- New agreement that introduces five additional classifications (Mechanics, Mechanic Apprentices, Shop Foreman, Caretakers, and Supervisor Caretakers) onto Staff Salary Schedule C-2 with wage rates commensurate to other civic bargaining units that perform similar like work,
- Reductions to the minimum overtime paid by one hour, to three hours, paid for a failure to receive notification of cancellation after 22:00 hours of the day prior to the scheduled court appearance,
- Amendments to shift schedules including the ability for the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) to implement staggered start times in General Patrol divisions thereby increasing the number of cars available to respond during peak call for service hours without increasing the number of Police Officers in the Division. Further, the straight evening shift that the Canine Unit works is entrenched in collective agreement,
- Expansion of Auxiliary Cadet duties including the ability to attend to traffic hazards, escort duties within the Police HQ, police building security surveillance, and the ability to backfill staff vacancies in the River Patrol Unit,
- Promotion process for the rank of Inspector is removed from the Police Promotion Plan effective as of June 5, 2017, and
- Amendments to the Job Sharing Letters of Understanding for Police and Staff to allow for cost neutral shift changes for purpose of vacation leave.
The next steps in the ratification process include the Memorandum of Agreement being considered at a special meeting of Executive Policy Committee scheduled for tomorrow, and then by Council later that day.
The Administrative Report recommending adoption of the negotiated agreement can be found on the City of Winnipeg’s Decision Making Information System.