Honourable Anita Anand
President of the Treasury Board
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0A6
Subject: Remote work – A win-win situation
Dear President Anand,
My name is Yvon Barrière, Executive vice-president of PSAC-Quebec. I’m writing to you on behalf of PSAC members who work in the federal public service in Quebec. As you know, your new mandate for a three-day in-office work week effective September 9 has been causing a stir since the start of the summer. It feels like it was pulled out of a hat. This arbitrary decision, taken without consultation, is highly unpopular with our members, who feel that their employer is treating them like mere pawns.
In our most recent round of bargaining with Treasury Board and other federal agencies, we signed a letter of agreement on telework. Members felt like they were making real progress in improving their working conditions. Regrettably, by unilaterally imposing this return to work, you have ignored that letter and worsened our members’ working conditions.
This is unacceptable. Federal public service workers feel like they’re caught in a game of snakes and ladders. One day, they climb a ladder, the next they slide back down, depending on the whims of a few decision-makers, municipal lobbyists and chambers of commerce.
Remote work has shown its effectiveness for many years. It improves work-life balance, eliminates the stress and environmental impact of commuting, boosts local economies, reduces the need for costly downtown office spaces that can be repurposed for housing, and helps with employee hiring and retention – all without impacts on productivity. It’s win-win.
With your cooperation, we can climb the ladder of success instead of sliding into disengagement. September 9 is fast approaching. Many departments and agencies have said that they are not ready. Our members oppose this decision. The fate of these workers is not a game and they are definitely not pawns. We urge you to reconsider implementing this mandate so that we can sit down together and find a solution that works for everyone.
We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Yvon Barrière
Regional Executive Vice-President, PSAC-Quebec