Federal public sector unions angry over work-from-office order

The head of one of Canada’s largest public sector unions coming out with fighting words. The Liberal government’s move to force federal workers back into I’ll equipped and poorly maintained offices three days a week is purely political. Public sector unions have legal challenges against the government and say more are coming, encouraging members to file individual grievances to force the government to withdraw their mandate. This over a plan to force public servants back to the office for three days a week. Starting in September, unions say they were blindsided. We fought and won a commitment from this government that would protect public service workers from arbitrary government wide decisions on telework, just like this one. Last year, public servants were ordered to come back two days a week after being sent home during the pandemic. The Treasury Board says hybrid work isn’t a bargaining chip and wasn’t part of signed agreements. The most important thing is to continue to deliver services for Canadians and to protect. Taxpayer dollars, the government could have handled this better, says this expert. If I was the union. Quite honestly, the government has done it wrong by actually by Fiat saying this is it 3 days with no real logic behind that. On the streets, opinion is split. It’s hard to say. I don’t think that people are any less productive working from home. I I don’t really think our tax dollars should be paying for office space. It’s unnecessary. People have to remember that you used to work full time, right? Five days a week or some people 7. So I think I compromised for three days shouldn’t be a big issue. I do think it’s important to have time in the office. There’s a lot to be said for the interaction with people, but the unions say they’re not backing down, promising a summer of discontent unless the government relents. Kate McKenna, CBC News Ottawa.