The Public Service Alliance of Canada, Quebec Region (PSAC-Quebec) learned this Tuesday that jobs will be cut at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre. The decision affects five PSAC-Quebec members represented by the Agricultural Union.
Sébastien Paquette, Executive Vice-President for PSAC-Quebec, had this to say about the announcement:
- It’s a sad day for the Sherbrooke area, because these are good jobs that the federal government is eliminating. This decision is very worrisome not only for the affected workers but also for those who remain.
- The five members, who work as storespersons and in administration, will have their jobs centralized— as if centralization were the solution to every problem. It’s not. This decision shows a lack of long-term vision.
- It will be detrimental to research quality and will negatively impact the remaining workers. Research teams will be forced to take on more administrative tasks, reducing the amount of time spent on research.
More than 100 years of R&D
According to publicly available information, the Sherbrooke R&D Centre develops cost-effective, environmentally friendly dairy and pork production techniques that contribute to high-quality agricultural products. It has been operated by Agriculture Canada since 1914.
Information for members
Affected employees are encouraged to reach out to their union representatives to learn their rights and options.