On Monday, federal public servants will return to the office a minimum of three days a week91裸聊视频� if grudgingly.
Public service unions will start the week with an early-morning rally opposing the policy. But despite the unions91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频渟ummer of discontent91裸聊视频� and an ongoing court challenge, the new rules will still kick in on Sept. 9.
The unions are pledging to keep fighting, even as they acknowledge it will take time.
91裸聊视频淲e may not win this tomorrow. We may not win this next week. But if we continue to fight, this is the new future of work for federal public servants and for workers everywhere,91裸聊视频� Jennifer Carr, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, told an earlier rally on Thursday.
Ottawa announced the policy, which also stipulates that executives will have to be in the office at least four days a week, in May. The unions responded by pledging a 91裸聊视频渟ummer of discontent.91裸聊视频�
That included moves by the Public Service Alliance of Canada to file unfair labour practice complaints and policy grievances, as well a Federal Court application. Just before the Labour Day weekend, Federal Court agreed to hear the case.
That decision by the court 91裸聊视频渄oes not affect the decision on increased in-person presence,91裸聊视频� the Treasury Board said in a statement, noting both parties will have a chance to present their arguments to the court.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand has maintained Ottawa has the jurisdiction to make the changes and hybrid work arrangements aren91裸聊视频檛 in the collective agreements with the unions.
Previously, most federal public servants had to be in the office at least two days a week. Those rules were put in place March 2023, two years after people began working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the union pledges to fight the new rules, public servants will have to abide by them. 91裸聊视频淭he rule from a union is always obey and then grieve,91裸聊视频� Carr said in an interview.
Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, declined to specify the exact tactics the unions will urge members to use, but said it could include petitions demanding an exemption from the policy and moves to exploit contradictions in various government policies.
One of the concerns the unions have flagged is that there won91裸聊视频檛 be enough space for everyone in the office, saying workers already struggle to find available desks and meeting rooms.
In a statement, Public Services and Procurement Canada said it is working with federal departments and agencies to ensure sufficient office space is provided.
Alex Silas, national executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, predicted 91裸聊视频渁 lot of chaos on Monday.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 think a lot of people are unfortunately going to be showing up to offices that aren91裸聊视频檛 ready to accommodate that return,91裸聊视频� either because the offices themselves won91裸聊视频檛 be ready or because there91裸聊视频檚 just not enough space for everyone to work.
The federal government said in this year91裸聊视频檚 federal budget it plans to cut its office portfolio in half and turn 91裸聊视频渧acant government offices91裸聊视频� into housing.
Silas argued when it comes to 91裸聊视频渇orcing people back to the office while also planning to convert some of those offices, there91裸聊视频檚 a dissonance there. Those plans don91裸聊视频檛 work together.91裸聊视频�
Unions are also flagging concerns about transportation, given Ottawa91裸聊视频檚 public transit system recently announced service cuts during non-peak hours.
91裸聊视频淢ost federal public servants living in the Ottawa area in particular don91裸聊视频檛 trust that the transit system here is credible,91裸聊视频� Prior said.
Thursday91裸聊视频檚 rally featured bumper stickers saying: 91裸聊视频淪orry about the traffic, I have to commute to a video call.91裸聊视频�
Carr said it91裸聊视频檚 going to 91裸聊视频渢ake people longer to get to work91裸聊视频magine that you have all this turmoil that91裸聊视频檚 happened before you get to the office, and then you sit at the office and do exactly the same thing you could have done from home. It91裸聊视频檚 just going to breed resentment and anger.91裸聊视频�
Pat Scrimgeour, director of transit customer systems and planning, said the city91裸聊视频檚 public transit system can handle the increase.
91裸聊视频淭here is sufficient capacity on the O-Train and bus network to support public servants as they return to the office more often. We will continue to monitor ridership demand in case there is any location or time when ridership increases more than we expect,91裸聊视频� he said in a statement.
A date for when the court case will be heard has not yet been set. Silas said the union is looking forward to 91裸聊视频渇inally hearing from the employer as to the reasoning for this return to office policy.91裸聊视频�
Ultimately, the issue may end up in collective bargaining negotiations. Silas pointed out PSAC91裸聊视频檚 next round of bargaining with the Treasury Board starts in 2025.
91裸聊视频淚f this doesn91裸聊视频檛 get resolved willingly by the federal government, if they don91裸聊视频檛 come to the light on their own terms and see the positives about remote work, then this will certainly continue to be a priority for us in bargaining.91裸聊视频�
Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press
