Canada’s largest public service unions are threatening a “summer of discontent” after Ottawa mandated that federal civil servants return to the office three days a week.
“The Trudeau Liberal government better prepare itself,” Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) president Chris Aylward warned at a news conference in Ottawa Wednesday.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which is effectively a central nerve agency for federal departments, updated its policy last week requiring employees work from the office three days a week, instead of two, starting Sept. 9.
The unions – which represent 260,000 workers – call the decision “purely political” and have launched a series of legal complaints.
“Forcing hundreds of thousands of workers to needlessly now spend more money on transportation, child care and other expenses is a move in the wrong direction,” Aylward said. “Workers feel betrayed, and we will be using every recourse we have available to fight.”
PSAC wants the New Democrats to reconsider their support for the Liberals over the three-day mandate.
The NDP is propping up the federal government through a supply and confidence agreement.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand defended the decision and said the right to remote work is not enshrined for federal public workers.
“A hybrid work environment is not within the collective agreements,” Anand said. “The government of Canada retained prerogative to determine the scope.”
But PSAC says the government did not negotiate in good faith.
A year ago this month, both sides reached a deal after a nationwide strike.
More to come…