(OTTAWA) All federal government employees who were working from home last week will begin transitioning to a hybrid formula on Monday.
Last month, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier announced that all departments would have to bring their staff back into the office two to three days a week by the end of March.
Mme Fortier, the MP for Ottawa-Vanier, said sanctions have been issued to repeat offenders, but they will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Minister Fortier said the back-to-office plan was necessary because of inconsistencies in the telecom policies of various federal departments. He did not say what those discrepancies were or whether the federal government had data to prove them. He explained only that the hybrid formula was guided by principles of justice and equality.
Chris Aylward, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), said union members are willing to go back to work if a clear explanation is given as to why the move is necessary. The president of the union, which represents 165,000 federal employees, said, “Our members are in complete disarray.”
The union’s president said many members have difficulty accessing childcare services and are reluctant to spend hours a day commuting so they can properly perform their duties at home.
Chris Aylward is urging the Canadian government to come to the negotiating table so that hybrid work or telework is included in the collective agreement.
The union is currently negotiating with the Treasury Board.
The return to work comes at a time when public transit is in crisis in the Ottawa area, home to the majority of federal government offices. A blizzard that hit the area on January 4 led to the partial shutdown of the city’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) system for six days.
Some civil servants expressed their frustration on social media, noting that the return-to-office policy was a burden on people who commuted for long periods of time.
Ottawa City Councilor Marty Carr fears public transit disruptions are causing more federal public servants to skip it and go to work.
