The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said the Canadian government has shown a blatant disregard for public servants by requiring them to work in person at least three days per week.

PSAC members are frustrated and angered by this announcement, according to a Wednesday press release. In every corner of Canada, PSAC said it has seen how the current in-office requirements are not being managed by most departments.

It said it has heard multiple times from workers obligated to report to offices that instead of conducting in-person work, they spend all day in virtual meetings with colleagues across Canada.

In many offices, it pointed out many workers are forced to camp out in cafeterias or cram into hallway meetings because of a shortage of available workspaces and these problems continue to pile on.

Despite this, the Treasury Board confirmed on a call with bargaining agents that it was planning to proceed with reducing 50% of existing government office space. PSAC said this decision is a misstep and a failure to adapt, innovate, and lead in the face of change to the way work is done.

As recently as last week, PSAC and other unions requested an update at the National Joint Council about the allegations that there may be a change to the policy. Treasury Board officials denied any upcoming announcements about telework.

As part of PSAC’s agreement in the last round of negotiations, the Treasury Board was obligated to consult with it to review the Directive on Telework. However, at no point during those discussions was there any indication of an increase in in-person work.

PSAC said this decision has broken the trust between its members and their employer and violates the collective bargaining rights of thousands of workers.

Telework is a critical issue at the table for the FB Group, which is holding strike votes across Canada for more than 9,000 members at the Canada Border Services Agency. It alleged any changes to their terms and conditions of work while bargaining undermines their collective bargaining rights.

In response, it said it would be filing an unfair labour practice complaint and examining additional legal options.

PSAC will be updating members and taking further action in the coming days.

The Canadian government said in 2022 public servants will be required to report to the office up to three days per week in 2023.

This announcement comes despite opposition from the largest public service unions.

“We have rediscovered the value of shared in-person experiences that are essential to cohesive, collaborative, and high-performing organizations,” said Treasury Board Secretariat Graham Flack and Canadian Government Chief Human Resources Officer Christine Donaghue.

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