Tag Archives: telework

Fighting for telework: Important resources

Every worker’s job and situation are unique, and a cookie cutter approach to telework can’t be applied to Canada’s diverse public service. Overwhelming evidence proves that telework improves work-life balance and increases productivity for workers.

The government’s misguided decision to mandate federal public service workers into the office at least three days per week blatantly disregards their well-being and violates their collective bargaining rights.

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.

It’s time to fight back

PSAC has prepared a number of resources to help workers fight for telework. We’ve collected some of these resources below: Grievance wording, virtual backgrounds, useful information, etc. Take a look!

On this page:

When to file a grievance
Proposed grievance wording
Telework petition
Fight for telework questionnaire
Telework visual assets

Also see the PSAC telework FAQ

When to file a grievance

As part of our coordinated legal response, we are encouraging all affected members to put in grievances against the unilateral amendment of the Direction. Grievances should be filed for the following issues:

  • Where the amended Direction results in a member being arbitrarily required to work more days in the office;
  • Where a member has had an existing telework agreement disregarded or altered because of the Direction;
  • Where a member experiences additional adverse impacts because of their membership in a human rights-protected group;
  • Or, where a member has experienced losses or out-of-pocket costs because of the Direction.

However, you should always go through your union when submitting a grievance. Contact your Branch President for assistance. Branch Presidents should contact the CIU Labour Relations Officer assigned to their Branch for further guidance.

Proposed grievance wording

While grievances should be individualized to reflect the specific circumstances and concerns of individual members, the following template grievance language can be customized to address most cases:

This is an individual grievance hereby filed pursuant to Section 208 of the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act.

Details of the grievance:

I grieve the Employer’s conduct in amending the Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace (the “Direction”) in violation of the collective agreement by:

  • Amending and implementing the Direction in a manner which is unreasonable, arbitrary, and inconsistent with the principles for flexible working arrangements, in violation of the provisions of the applicable Collective Agreement, including but not limited to Article 6 of Collective Agreement, the Letter of Agreement on Telework, the Directive on Telework, as well as any other applicable provisions of the Collective Agreement, employer policies, or legislation;
  • Amending and implementing the Direction in a discriminatory manner that has breached the employer’s duty to accommodate and has reduced accessibility, inclusiveness and equity in violation of my rights  protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act (“CHRA”) and [Article 19 of the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Operational Services (SV), Technical Services (TC), and Border Services (FB) agreements or Article 16 of the Education and Library Science (EB) agreement]; and
  • Amending and implementing the Direction in a manner which unreasonably and inappropriately departs from my existing telework/remote work arrangements and has caused me prejudice and hardship.

Corrective action requested: Make sure the grievance includes an appropriate request for corrective action, tailored to individual circumstances. Request for corrective action should include what remedies are sought based on specific circumstances, along with a demand to be made whole and a request for any other redress deemed appropriate. For example:

  • That the Employer allow for telework agreements consistent with the principles of flexible working arrangements and the provisions of the applicable Collective Agreement;
  • That I be compensated for all losses, including lost wages and benefits, that resulted from the Employer’s conduct in amending the Direction;
  • That the filing of this grievance not prejudice me in any future dealings with the Employer;
  • That I be made whole;
  • Any other redress deemed appropriate.

You should always go through your union when submitting a grievance. Contact your Branch President for assistance. Branch Presidents should contact the CIU Labour Relations Officer assigned to their Branch for further guidance.

Click here for more information on grievances

Petition to repeal the three-day in-office mandate 

Sign the petition to demand the government repeal the three-day in-office mandate and move to the promised case-by-case framework for telework, rather than the one-size-fits-none model they have committed to. We also want them to enshrine this policy into our collective agreements during the next round of bargaining.

Click here to sign the petition

Fight for telework questionnaire

As we move beyond September 9, how likely are you to stay involved in our fight for telework? Complete the brief questionnaire below to let us know.

Click here to complete the questionnaire

Telework visual assets

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Social Media

Virtual Background

The original version of this content was first published on the PSAC website:

PSAC scores legal victory in fight to reverse federal telework mandate

The Federal Court will hold a full hearing to review PSAC’s application to quash the federal government’s decision to force federal public service workers back into ill-equipped offices three days a week beginning September 9.

This is an important victory for workers and unions who have been pushing back against the government’s unilateral decision announced in May that has had sweeping impacts on federal workers and led to mass protests, legal challenges and a wave of individual grievances.

“The Federal Court’s decision to hear our case is an important win for federal workers fighting for a fair and transparent approach to telework,” said PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa. “Remote work is the future of work, and we won’t let the government off the hook for breaking their commitments and ignoring the voices of federal public service workers.” 

The government attempted to have the case thrown out or delayed by the Court until existing legal challenges – including several policy grievances and unfair labour practice complaints disputing the mandate – are heard by a federal board.

But the Federal Court judge ruled that Treasury Board failed to deliver the “knock-out punch” to the grounds for PSAC’s application to warrant dismissal.

The hearing will be a major step for unions and workers looking for transparency around its decision to bring workers back into the office three days a week, as the government will now need to make their case and present their reasoning for making the decision to bring workers back to the office.

Although this does not mean that the Federal Court endorses PSAC’s position, it will allow us to fully argue our case in court. This is part of PSAC’s broader effort to demonstrate that telework is the way of the future and hold the government accountable for its misguided mandate.

What members can do

This is just one of several ways PSAC is continuing the fight for fair telework. Members can take action by:

  • Getting involved with your local.

This fall, PSAC will be launching a national joint telework campaign alongside other unions. But to win this fight, we will need the support of members from coast to coast to coast organizing and making noise in their workplaces. Together, we will show the government, decision-makers and the public that #RemoteWorks.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Largest federal unions launch major fightback campaign against new in-office mandate

person working from home

In a unified action, Canada’s largest federal unions representing more than 270,000 federal public service workers have filed a series of legal challenges and will be taking action across the country in opposition to the Liberal government’s new mandate requiring its workers to report to the office three days per week.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), and the Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO) are launching a united fightback campaign to oppose the government’s one-size-fits-all approach to hybrid work, which violates the hard-won rights of employees and fundamentally breaks the trust of workers and unions in this government.

“The decision to force workers back into ill-equipped and poorly maintained offices is purely political, and puts the services Canadians depend on at risk,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “The Liberal government props itself up as a friend of public service workers, yet at every turn they continue to ram through backroom decisions without any consultation that impact the well-being of workers and their families.”

“Workers feel betrayed, and we will be using every recourse we have available to fight this mandate and enforce a telework model that works for workers.”

The government was already struggling to implement its previous mandate requiring workers in the office two days a week due to the lack of adequate workspaces and proper tools for workers. In the federal budget, the government has doubled down by committing to sell half of all federal buildings, which will only put more strain on office space for workers.

“This isn’t just about an extra day in the office for workers,” added Aylward. “This misguided decision sets up workers to fail, pushing them into physical offices that don’t have enough workspaces, where they don’t have the right equipment to do their jobs effectively, only to spend their days on virtual calls with their coworkers who work all across the country.”

This week, PSAC filed a series of legal challenges against the government, and will also encourage members to file individual grievances to force this government to withdraw their mandate.

Letter to President of the Treasury Board

Joint letters calling for urgent action were sent to Treasury Board President Anita Anand and NPD leader Jagmeet Singh.

In the letter to Treasury Board President Anita Anand, these unions express their outrage and opposition to the recent, unilateral amendment of the government’s telework mandate.

We’re calling for immediate action and accountability on a number of issues including: lack of consultation and erosion of labour relations, the advisory process, the inability to implement policies, the impact on workforce productivity and well-being, and lack of trust and respect.

Letter to NDP leader

In the letter to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, the same unions express their concern that the NDP continues to support a government that so flagrantly disregards the rights and well-being of workers. We ask the NDP to use their influence through the Liberal-NDP Confidence and Supply Agreement to hold the Liberal government accountable and champion the rights of workers.

Critical issue at the FB bargaining table

Since the mandate was announced, more than 26,000 PSAC members have sent letters to Treasury Board President Anita Anand and their MPs demanding the government withdraw its one-size-fits-all telework mandate on telework.

“This government better prepare for a summer of discontent,” said Aylward. “Workers are incredibly frustrated and outraged, at this government’s flagrant disregard for workers’ rights, and they’ll be taking to the streets and their workplaces in concerted, coordinated actions across the country.”

More than 50,000 members – nearly one third of all PSAC Treasury Board members – responded to our survey on the new mandate in just a few days, highlighting the widespread opposition to the policy change. Notably, 85% of respondents strongly oppose the three-day in-office mandate, with 90% prepared to take action against the government, and nearly half are prepared to give PSAC a strike mandate in the next round of bargaining over the government’s approach to telework.

PSAC members also overwhelmingly said the government’s increased in-office mandate would harm their ability to balance work and personal responsibilities (90%), their mental well-being (85%), job satisfaction (81%), and productivity and efficiency (78%) following the decision.

Telework is a critical issue at the bargaining table for 9,000 PSAC members at Canada Border Services Agency, who will wrap up strike votes for May 15. If an agreement isn’t reached on key bargaining issues including telework, fair wages and equitable pension reform, Canadians can expect major delays at border crossings and ports of entry across the country this summer.

Content in this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

Three-day in person mandate: Have your say

bargaining-pattern_psac

On May 1, 2024, with blatant disregard for the well-being of its workers, Treasury Board announced that by September 9, federal public service workers will be required to be in-office a minimum of three days per week.

Your experiences and perspectives are essential to shape the union’s strategy to fight back against the employer’s misguided and unilateral decision.

Take the survey

Please take 5 minutes to complete this survey. Your personal information will be kept confidential. The deadline for completing the survey is May 20, 2024.

Together, we can show the government that we’re prepared to take action.

Thank you for your participation.

Sincerely,
Chris Aylward

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PSAC members furious over three-day in-person mandate, union to pursue legal action

PSAC logo SCFP

Today, with blatant disregard for the wellbeing of its workers, the government announced that come September, federal public service workers will be required to be in-office a minimum of three days per week.

PSAC members are incredibly frustrated and angered by this announcement. In every corner of the country, we have seen how the current in-office requirements aren’t being consistently or equitably managed by most departments.

We hear time and time again from workers obligated to report to offices where instead of conducting in-person work, they spend all day on virtual meetings with colleagues across the country.

In many offices our members are regularly forced to camp out in cafeterias or cram into awkward hallway meetings because of a shortage of available workspaces, and these problems will only continue to pile up.

Despite this, Treasury Board confirmed on a call today with bargaining agents that they are planning to proceed with reducing 50% of existing government office space. Their decision is not just a misstep; it’s a failure by Canada’s largest employer to adapt, innovate, and truly lead in the face of change to the way work is done.

As recently as last week, PSAC and other unions specifically requested an update at the National Joint Council about the allegations that there may be a change to the policy. Treasury Board officials blatantly misled unions, denying any upcoming announcements about telework.

In addition, as part of PSAC’s agreement in the last round of negotiations, Treasury Board was obligated to consult with the union with the purpose of reviewing the outdated Directive on Telework. However, at no point during those discussions was there any indication of an increase to in-office attendance.

This decision has not only broken the trust between PSAC members and their employer, but very concretely, it violates the collective bargaining rights of thousands of workers.

Telework is currently a critical issue at the table for the FB group, currently holding strike votes across the country for more than 9,000 members at Canada Border Services Agency. Any changes to their terms and conditions of work while bargaining directly undermines their collective bargaining rights.

In response, PSAC will be filing an unfair labour practice complaint and examining additional legal options.

PSAC will be updating members and taking further action in the coming days.

This article was first posted on the PSAC website.