In a press release published on Monday, the union says that more than 1,100 of its members have turned to them for help in dealing with the challenges posed by this decree, which applies equally to all.
Concerns expressed by institute members relate to workplace safety, availability of office and basic equipment, network capacity, breach of employment contracts, housing, availability of before and after school childcare, etc., the union writes.
Last December, Canada’s Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) announced that federal employees should work in person at least two or three days a week. A measure that has been gradually implemented since January 16 and must be fully implemented by March 31.
Logistic nightmares
But the implementation of this measure raises problems, according to the PIPSC, which explains that one of the main problems is that many officials are no longer assigned an assigned post.
As we feared, we are now living with the logistical nightmares created by this hastily implemented back-to-office policy. Many departments and agencies are completely unprepared for the practical realities this government regulation will bring, PIPSC President Jennifer Carr said in the union’s statement. As a result, some of our members are returning to buildings that are now being used as construction sites. Others have to hop between different federal shared jobs, which often means staying up until midnight to get a spot close to home.
Jennifer Carr, President of the Civil Service Vocational Institute of Canada
Photo: Radio Canada / Rebecca Kwan
These issues are eroding the morale of members, adds PIPSC, which believes it also hampers the ability of public servants to keep the country’s key institutions running smoothly and productively.
“We are not happy that we were right about the mess this decree would make. The good news is that it’s not too late to work together to find a better solution. »
— A quote from Jennifer Carr, PIPSC President
The union says some of its members now waste time setting up and tearing down makeshift cafeteria workstations every day.
They also sometimes try to hold important video conferences from buildings with unreliable Wi-Fi — often with co-workers on different floors, says Carr.
The union is asking the federal government to acknowledge that it made a mistake. He invites him to sit down to consult with those affected and come up with a sensible plan that will work for the staff while effectively delivering the services that the community relies on.
As of this writing, Treasury President Mona Fortier has yet to respond to the union’s resignation.