Federal public servants will begin returning to office buildings in Ottawa and Gatineau today as the federal government begins to gradually implement a back-to-office plan.
Starting today, federal employees in the central public service who work from home will be required to begin the transition back to work in person, with a requirement to be in the office at least two to three days a week.
Many public servants began working from home full-time when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Last year, government departments began making their own decisions about remote and hybrid work.
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier announced the back-to-the-office plan in mid-December, but federal unions say there are not enough workspaces available for federal employees to return to the office.
For example, Public Service Professional Institute of Canada president Jennifer Carr said, "I don't think the Treasury Board has taken into consideration the logistics involved in returning to work because the federal government has made a lot of cuts in the National Capital Region and lost a lot of buildings for federal workers. Some employees who returned to Statistics Canada had no office space, and PIPSC has received reports of employees working in cafeterias and canteens."
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and the Canadian Professional Employees Association released an open letter on Friday, calling on the government to halt the back-office plans. The unions say the plan puts members' health and safety at risk and "makes no sense" from a logistical and productivity standpoint.
Comments