After nearly 3 years of working from home due to the pandemic, the Treasury Board and some public sector employers are implementing plans to return to the workplace.
Know your rights about returning to the office.
The Treasury Board has announced their plan to roll out a one-size-fits-all approach to return federal public servants to their offices for 2-3 days per week starting in January 2023. This news comes despite previous commitments to continue consulting with unions and implement tailored plans for each department.
While some of us, like the nurses we represent, never stopped heading into their workplaces, tens of thousands of others have been working safely and productively from home for almost 3 years.
We strongly disagree with a one-size-fits-all approach that has no evidence to support it, puts our members’ health and safety at risk, and undermines employee productivity which negatively impacts the services Canadians rely on.
We support the principle of “presence with purpose”: being at the office when justified by operational needs. We continue to advocate for what was promised: a hybrid-by-design approach that considers employees’ unique circumstances and job requirements.
We want this government to stop barrelling toward an unnecessary confrontation and negotiate telework with us, at the bargaining table, where this issue belongs.
To this end, we have filed:
- 6 freeze complaints against the Treasury Board and 1 against the CRA.
- 1 bad faith bargaining complaint against the CRA on behalf of our Audit Financial and Scientific Group members.
- 7 policy grievances on the grounds that the RTO Directive was an unreasonable exercise of management rights, will have an adverse impact on many disadvantaged groups, and was made without giving employees reasonable notice.
- A major media push to put pressure on the government and rally public support through extensive media coverage. We have been pleased to see our messaging amplified by CBC, CTV, and the Ottawa Citizen.
We know this hasty order has created a logistical nightmare of the government’s own making. We’ve heard hundreds of stories of offices that feel more like construction sites, employees forced to work from cafeterias, or teams taking video calls from different floors of the same building.
Regardless of how you feel about your return, the employer has an obligation to ensure you have everything you need to do your job and to do it safely.
Know your rights about returning to the office.
Help us advocate for good labour practices. If you’re having challenges with returning to the office or if your accommodation request has been denied, let us know.
We won't stop fighting against the federal government's "one-size-fits-all" rule. They promised a hybrid-by-design plan – and we are going to push them to deliver on this promise.
Please see our frequently asked questions for more information.