Two more federal unions call for Commons committee to investigate 3-day a week office mandate
Two more federal public service unions are calling on a House of Commons committee to investigate the federal government's new return-to-office mandate.
As of Sept. 9, federal employees in the core public service are required to be in the office a minimum of three days a week, while executives must be in the office four days a week.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are joining the Canadian Association of Public Employees (CAPE) in calling on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) to conduct a "thorough investigation."
"PIPSC is alarmed by the government's approach to returning employees to the office," the union said in a statement.
"The union emphasizes that many public servants have adapted to flexible work models that enhance productivity and support work-life balance, which are at risk with the mandatory 'one-size-fits-all' approach."
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
PIPSC president Jennifer Carr says workers are "being forced to return to grossly inadequate offices without justification."
"The lack of sound, evidence-based decision-making seriously impacts employees and wholly disregards the benefits of flexible working arrangements to all Canadians – from productivity gains to better equity, diversity, and inclusion, and opening up good public sector jobs across Canada," Carr said.
"Modern, flexible work models enhance public service delivery."
PSAC said in a news release it was also joining CAPE and PIPSC in calling for a full investigation into the policy.
"PSAC fully supports CAPE and PIPSC in their calls for an investigation into the office mandate," said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa. "It's a poorly planned, arbitrary policy that's harming workers, reducing productivity, and wasting taxpayers' money. It's time for the government to face the facts and address the damage this mandate is causing across the public service."
"Remote work isn’t just a convenience, it’s common sense. When federal public service workers are trusted to choose how and where they work best, they thrive — and so does the public service," DeSousa wrote in a letter to the clerk of the committee, Marc-Olivier Girard. "We urge OGGO to prioritize this investigation to address the systemic issues and ensure that federal workers have the necessary support to perform their jobs effectively."
Earlier this month, CAPE called on the Commons committee to investigate the new three days a week office mandate, saying there has been "catastrophic failures" with the new mandate.
"The government’s recent three-day return-to-office policy has proven ineffective for thousands of our members," Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said in a letter to the committee. "Promoted as a means to enhance collaboration, many employees find themselves commuting to the office only to participate in MS Teams meetings with colleagues located in different parts of the building, city, or even across the country."
CAPE wanted the investigation by the Commons committee to look at several issues, including insufficient workspaces, "health and safety violations," the noisy office environment, inadequate equipment, limited meeting and collaboration spaces, work-life balance and the "impact on stress and anxiety."
PSAC, PIPSC, CAPE and other unions have opposed the new return-to-office mandate. In August, the Federal Court agreed to hear PSAC's application to quash the new office mandate, but a court date has not been set.
The federal government shifted to a work from home environment at the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. In 2023, the government introduced a requirement for workers to be in the office a minimum of two days a week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They thought he wasn't making it': B.C. soccer star's family on his shocking shooting — and remarkable recovery
Born and raised in Metro Vancouver, Nathan Demian was living his dream playing soccer for top-ranked Ohio State University, when he was shot during a post-game pizza run with his brother Saturday night.
MPs approve $21.6B in supplementary spending; Conservatives vote against
Parliament has approved $21.6 billion in government spending, in a late Tuesday vote in the House of Commons.
No injuries reported after gunshots fired inside Etobicoke high school, 2 suspects outstanding
Toronto police are searching for two suspects after gunshots were fired inside an Etobicoke high school late Tuesday afternoon.
DEVELOPING Luigi Mangione shouts as he is led into courthouse where he contests extradition to N.Y.
The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted Tuesday while arriving for a court appearance in Pennsylvania, a day after he was arrested at a McDonald’s and charged with murder.
Celebrities and coastal residents flee from wind-driven wildfire in Malibu
Evacuation orders and warnings have gone out to 20,000 Southern California residents Tuesday as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near celebrities' seaside mansions, horse farms and Pepperdine University, the sheriff's department said.
Waterloo Region mistakenly applied $13.7M discount to Amazon build in Blair
The Region of Waterloo will not be able to demand $13.7 million from a developer after they said a discount was mistakenly issued for the development of an Amazon fulfillment centre.
Dolly Parton explains why her longtime husband doesn't attend events with her
Dolly Parton has been married for 58 years, but you probably could count on one hand the times you have seen her with her husband.
'Which one of those two is going to win?': Poilievre prods Trudeau, Freeland over spending tension
Revived talk of tensions between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland prompted new questions Tuesday, about how big the federal deficit will be in next week's economic update.
Ex-minister cites 'threat to security' for denying emergency passport to Abdelrazik
Former foreign minister Lawrence Cannon says he denied an emergency passport to Abousfian Abdelrazik in 2009 because he considered the Montreal man a possible threat to national security.