WORKING PAPER
Salary-related issues
May 2009
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Introduction
A strategy that measures up to our goals
• Do away with the 2005 decrees
• Win back the right to free collective bargaining
• Maximize our chances of settling new collective
agreements before April 1, 2010
• Necessity of a historic common front
• Public services are precious particularly in times of
economic uncertainty
• Negotiation with few but important targets
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
a) Protecting purchasing power
b) Catch-up pay
c) Collective enrichment
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
a) Protecting purchasing power
We propose that salary rates and scales be increased by
the following percentages to take account of inflation:
• 2% on April 1, 2010
• 2% on April 1, 2011
• 2% on April 1, 2012
plus an inflation protection clause if the CPI increases by
more than 2%.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
b) Catch-up pay
A catch-up raise corresponding to 1.75% of total payrol per
year. This percentage would be calculated of the average
rate of pay and then integrated into salary rates and scales
as a flat amount.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
b) Catch-up pay - example
Actual pay
Catch-up raise
New hourly rate
Increase (%)
26.51 $ / hour
(average rate)
0.46 $ / hour
26.97 $ / hour
1.75 %
19.03 $ / hour
0.46 $ / hour
19.49 $ / hour
2.43 %
37.03 $ / hour
0.46 $ / hour
37.49 $ / hour
1.25 %
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
c) Enrichment
We want a commitment from government to resume
discussions aimed at agreeing on the amount to be paid as
a share in the increase in collective wealth if the nominal
GDP grows by more than 3.75%.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
1. Salary demands
In conclusion:
Unless inflation exceeds 2%, and apart from any share in the
increase in collective wealth, raises would total 11.25% for
three years. The average increases in salary rates and scales
for each year would be as follows:
• 3.75% on April 1, 2010
• 3.75% on April 1, 2011
• 3.75% on April 1, 2012
It is understood that flat-rate premiums would be increased on
the same basis as pay.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
2. Salary relativity
That the CSN, if possible together with the other union
organizations, begin work with the government parallel to
negotiations at the central table on the whole issue of salary
relativity, and that this work start by evaluating gender-neutral
job classes.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
3. Duration of the collective agreement
That the duration of the next collective agreement be two
years and nine months, from April 1, 2010 to December 31,
2012.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
• Funding the RREGOP
• Contributions formula
• Indexing
• Removing the ceiling on years of service
• Phased retirement
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
4. Funding the RREGOP
That the current method of funding the RREGOP (for the
portion paid by participants) be replaced by the distribution of
accrued benefits with projection of salaries method, known as
the “single premium” method, for the actuarial valuation to be
done on the basis of the December 31, 2008 data.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
5. Contributions formula
That in the framework of discussions on the funding formula
for the REGOP, changes be made in the contributions formula
so that contributions are paid on earnings exceeding 25% of
maximum pensionable earnings instead of 35% of maximum
pensionable earnings, and that any increase in costs resulting
from this change for any contributing employees be borne by
the government.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
5. Contributions formula - 35 % of MPE
Annual
income
Contribution
Amount on
rate
which contri(over 16 205 $) butions are
paid
Contributions Real
contribution
rate (total
earnings)
29 000 $
8.19 %
12 795 $
1 047.91 $
3.6 %
70 000 $
8.19 %
53 795 $
4 405.81 $
6.3 %
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
5. Contributions formula - 25 % of MPE
Annual
income
Hypothetical
Contribution
rate
(over 11 575 $)
Amount on
which contributions are
paid
Contributions Real
contribution
rate (total
earnings)
29 000 $
7%
17 425 $
1 219.75 $
4.2 %
70 000 $
7%
58 425 $
4 089.75 $
5.8 %
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
6. Indexing
That once the RREGOP fund’s assets exceed liabilities by
20%, the indexing formula for years of service since 2000,
namely CPI – 3%, minimum of 50% of CPI,2 be applied to
contributory years of service between July 1, 1982 and
December 31, 1999.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
7. Removing the ceiling on years of service
That the ceiling of 35 years of “contributory” service entitling a
participant to a life annuity of 2% per year be abolished.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Pensions
8. Phased retirement
That discussions on phased retirement be undertaken with the
other union organizations.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
9. In support of family-work-study balance
That we demand that the Québec government adopt
framework legislation promoting family-work-study balance.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Other proposals
10. Skilled workers
That a technical management-labour committee be created
with the mandate of reviewing the issue of the working
conditions of skilled workers and making recommendations to
the parties.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Other proposals
Other central-table items
Given the strategic framework for this round of collective
bargaining, the CSN and its federations agree that demands
on regional disparities, group insurance, premiums and
arbitration costs will be addressed at the sectoral level and
harmonized if need be. We want to ensure the closest
possible co-ordination on these matters, at least within the
CSN.
Working paper, Salary-related issues
Other proposals
11. Mandate to harmonize
That the union mandate the federation to do the work needed
to harmonize central-table demands with the other CSN
federations and with Common Front partners.