We want to give you an update about benchmark reviews.
 
We’ve had productive meetings with the Deputy Sheriff Focus Group to finalize our classification rationale responses and evidence. We sent our rationales, ratings and submissions to the PSA in October. The Union's submissions and supporting documents include a great deal of technical detail and volume of information because they are intended to be as comprehensive as possible. Upon receiving our submission, the PSA Classifications Specialists have said they want time to thoroughly review our submissions and give consideration to the reasons for our ratings of the DS positions. The PSA will also have to confer with Justice (AG) Ministry representatives throughout their review.
 
We are in the process of finalizing the Corrections submissions with supporting evidence which will then be sent to the PSA. We will meet with Corrections Focus Group members shortly to review and confirm our materials. Once we send our Corrections materials to the PSA, they will review them and confer with Justice (PSSG) Ministry representatives.
 
We’ve been able to have some preliminary meetings with the Joint Technical Working Committee about the benchmark reviews, but cannot have the detailed conversations about the various factors until they have had time to do their due diligence. We plan to meet in late January to review all five Component 1 positions. Although the process is taking longer than originally anticipated, we have determined that it is better to take the extra time in order to make sure that we put forward the strongest possible cases.
 
If the rationales and ratings change as a result of the Joint Technical Working Committee reviews, it may not be necessary to proceed to hearing. Most of the detailed and technical work is being done at this stage, so that if we do need to go to hearing, it will be a relatively straightforward matter.
 
We will provide updates as the reviews proceed.
 
Dean Purdy
Jennifer Jordan
Barb Crowley

UNIFOR467/cope378