The editor:
It has been well advertised that Canada Revenue Agency workers are now on strike, however, there are many other components involved in one of the largest strikes in Canada’s history. One such component includes vital emergency services – your RCMP support staff.
Our responsibilities and duties are so varied across the nation but essentially we are the voice you hear when you need the police. We are the ones on the other end of the phone when you need help, guidance or just someone to listen.
We are the ones who support our police officers behind the scenes so that they can be operational and on the road, keeping our communities safer. We help you with your criminal record checks and accident reports, record suspensions and answer your questions when you attend to your local detachment. We are the front-line staff, the public servants who go above and beyond to assist you, the public.
We are trained to take those calls for serious assaults, attempted murders, sudden deaths, break-ins, missing persons, frauds and so, so much more. We transcribe those statements, we see those photos, we deal with prisoners, we go to court and assist the Crown prosecutor in getting you the justice you deserve. We get yelled at, screamed at, threatened and when we go home at the end of the day, we can’t tell anyone about our day because this is what we signed up for.
Why are we on strike? Yes, we work for the federal government and consider ourselves very fortunate to have a job we love but we have now been two years without a contract, which means two years without a raise. The cost of living has increased substantially and we have asked for a fair wage to help us with those rising costs. That is why we’re on strike.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Marie Russell
Jacqui Trippel
Tracey Handley
Carlyle RCMP support staff
