On May 1^st, the Treasury Board announced that it will be mandating all federal public service workers into the office at least three days per week.

This decision was made without consultation or dialogue with the union and with no evidence-based research to support it.

CEIU opposes this misguided and unilateral decision. It breaks the trust of our members and violates their rights to collective bargaining.

We’ve heard from CEIU member across the country: this unilateral approach doesn’t work for workers.

CEIU is providing a toolkit for members to take action. We will continue to update our actions and guidance throughout the summer as we get more information from the departments we represent. 

Do you sit on your LUMCC? Make sure you reach out to your National Vice-President to receive sample questions you can ask management about this mandate! 

1. Take Action Now! 

Email your Member of Parliament and Treasury Board President Anita Anand to demand the government withdraw it's one-size-fits-all telework mandate and put the needs of works first. Use PSAC's tool to send your email right now >>> 

2. Share Your Support 

We've developed graphics to help you share your support for your union and for telework that works for workers. Click on the images below to download them or reach out to [email protected] to receive them by email. 

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3. Send a Message to Your Department 

Thousands of members have sent messages to their Members of Parliament and Treasury Board President Anita Anand. Now we need to tell our departments how we feel about this misguided decision. 

Send an email or letter to the Deputy Minister or chairperson for your department. Individual messages are the most impactful. Highlight how this decision impacts you and your family. We have provided talking points below that you can mention, depending on which points are the most important to you. 

Contact Information: 

ESDC: 

Paul Thompson

Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development

[email protected]

IRCC:

Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar

Deputy Minister

[email protected]

IRB: 

Manon Brassard

Chairperson

[email protected]

Talking Points: 

• Every worker's job and situation are unique and a one-size-fits-all approach to telework can't be applied to Canada's diverse public service. Workers deserve a choice in their workplace. The Treasury Board has not provided operational rationale for why all workers need to be in the office 3 days a week and why they can't allow a flexible approach. 

• This decision was made without any consultation with unions or workers and flies in the face of the telework agreement PSAC negotiated in the last round of bargaining. This violates collective bargaining rights. 

• The Treasury Board has provided no data or evidence that workers are more productive or collaborative in the office. Overwhelming evidence proves that telework actually increases productivity and reduces sick days. 

• Telework improves work-life balance, well-being, and morale for workers.

• Telework is especially important for women, who disproportionately have childcare and family care responsibilities. Telework allows women to participate in the workplace more fully. 

• CEIU members, like all Canadians, are concerned with the rising cost-of-living. This mandate will add more unnecessary costs for workers who are already struggling with inflation. 

• Forcing workers back into ill-equipped and poorly maintained offices without proper workspaces or adequate space is a health and safety concern and will impact our ability to deliver the services Canadians depend on. Members are already struggling to find available workspaces and the problem will only get worse with more workers returning to the office. 

• The employer has already failed to provide necessary accommodations to workers who cannot return to work in the office. This problem will get worse as more workers require accommodations. 

• Requiring all federal public service workers to return to the office 3 days per week will put more cars on the road, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic in our cities. 

• Telework opens up opportunities for Canadians across the country to work for the federal public service, allowing us to invest in our local communities and neighbourhoods beyond the downtown cores of major city centres. 

• Fewer employees in the office can significantly reduce operational costs and help address the housing crisis by reducing the number of properties operated by the federal government. 

• The federal government has the opportunity to lead by example and shape the future of work in Canada. Our members can lead the way.