The final arbitration decision was issued by Arbitrator Maureen Flynn today. Here are the results.

Wages: Activity values are to be increased to reflect the letter carrier hourly wage rate retroactive to January 1, 2016.

Zones: Zones eliminated effective January 1, 2016.

Personal Contact Items and Lock Changes: To be incorporated as pensionable time with activity values retroactive to January 1, 2016.

Rest Period Allowance: RSMCs to receive the same rest period allowance as letter carriers retroactive to January 1, 2016, prorated using RMS hours.

Vacation Leave: 4 weeks after 7 years of service, 5 weeks after 14 years, 6 weeks after 21 years and 7 weeks after 28 years.

Pre-retirement Leave: RSMCs to receive the same pre-retirement leave as letter carriers.

On-Call Relief Employees: Retroactive from January, 1, 2016 OCREs will receive the new wage rates for the routes they covered.

Permanent Relief Employees: Retroactive from January, 1, 2016 PREs will receive the new wage rates for the routes they covered. When they do not cover routes, PREs will receive $90.00 for three hours.

Disability Insurance: Effective January 1, 2016, route holders and PREs who suffer an injury or illness will be covered by the same disability insurance provisions as letter carriers.

Insurance: Route holders and PREs to be covered by life insurance and death benefits starting January 1, 2019. For the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, the estate of members who passed away will receive equal share of the premiums CPC would have paid for insurance.

Isolated Posts: Effective January 1, 2019 all route holders and PREs that work in isolated posts listed in the urban agreement (Appendix “H”) will receive the isolated post allowance and associated benefits.

For the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, employees working in these isolated posts will receive an equal amount of the total allowance CPC would have paid during this period.

Glove Allowance: Prior to December 31, 2018, all route holders and PREs shall receive $60.00 in lieu of glove allowance. Starting October 1, 2019 all route holders and PREs shall receive a $20.00 glove allowance every October 1^st.

BC Health Care Premium: Effective January 1, 2019 active route holders and PREs shall receive the same contributions to the BC Health Care premium as urban employees. From January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, route holders and PRES working in British Columbia shall receive retroactive payments.

Leaves (Marriage, birth, adoption, other reasons, court leave, personal selection leave, examination leave, career development): Effective January 1, 2019 route holders and PREs will be eligible for these leaves on the same basis as urban employees. For the retroactive period, PREs and route holders will be provided an equal share of the retroactive value of these leaves.

Admail: RSMCs shall receive an additional 0.8 cents for each piece of admail for which they were paid between January 1, 2016 and January 15, 2018.

Post-Retirement Healthcare: Effective January 1, 2016 route holders and PREs are entitled to post-retirement healthcare benefits. Unfortunately, the Arbitrator sided with CPC and ruled that the 15-year eligibility period starts January 1, 2016. Route holders and PREs who have a minimum of 2 years of continuous service since January 1, 2016 will be entitled to post-retirement benefits if they leave Canada Post employment on a medical retirement.

This award is a major step forward in our long struggle for justice for RSMCs.

We have received equity but we have yet to receive equality. That is for negotiations.

Copies of Arbitrator Flynn’s decision will be available on the CUPW website when it is available in both languages.

More information on the changes and schedules and methods of payments will be provided in future bulletins.

In Solidarity,

Members of the Pay Equity Committee,