Face-to-face work: the PSAC files a grievance and asks the NDP to let go of the Liberals

Dissatisfied with the obligation to work in the office three days a week, the largest union in the federal public service files a grievance against the Treasury Board. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is also calling on the New Democratic Party to reconsider its support for the Liberals.

This grievance of principle presented by thePSAC comes a week after the government changed the instructions on teleworking.

The union accuses the Treasury Board of having made these changes without warning or consultation and, therefore, of having violated the Federal Public Sector Labor Relations Act.

More precisely, thePSAC judges that the government contravened section 106, the obligation to negotiate in good faith, and section 186 prohibiting the employer from interfering in the administration of a union organization.

L’PSAC is now asking the Treasury Board to reverse course and return to two days of face-to-face work per week.

Teleworking: an issue that led to the 2023 strike

In the grievance of which Radio-Canada obtained a copy, thePSAC writing : PSAC and the Treasury Board]”,”text”:”the conditions relating to telework and remote work were decisive during the last round of negotiations [entre l’AFPC et le Conseil du Trésor]”}}”>The conditions relating to teleworking and remote working were decisive during the last round of negotiations [entre l’AFPC et le Conseil du Trésor].

This issue was the strike which took place in April and May2023″,”text”:”one of the main reasons for the strike which took place in April and May2023″}}”>one of the main reasons for the strike which took place in April and May 2023asserts the union, and the letter of understanding drawn up at the end of the negotiations was a fundamental element allowing it to be put to an end.

[…] despite the consultation commitments he had made in this regard”,”text”:”The bad faith of the defendant [le Conseil du Trésor] in this regard is accentuated by the fact that he did not consult the complainant or even give him a simple opinion[…] despite the consultation commitments he had made in this regard”}}”>The defendant’s bad faith [le Conseil du Trésor] in this regard is accentuated by the fact that he did not consult the complainant or even give him a simple opinion […] despite the consultation commitments he had made in this regardcontinuesPSAC.

The union specifies that it had formed a committee with the Treasury Board. Members met regularly to discuss the parameters governing teleworking, when the obligation to come to the office three days a week was announced last week.

Unions call out Jagmeet Singh

In a letter addressed to the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and of which Radio-Canada obtained a copy, thePSAC and several other public service unions urge Jagmeet Singh to no longer support a government that so blatantly disregards the rights and well-being of workers.

Singh, to reconsider your party’s position and make a decisive move by using the power provisions of the Liberal-NDP Support and Trust Agreement to hold the Liberals accountable for their actions.” “text”:”We urge you, Mr. Singh, to reconsider your party’s position and make a decisive move by resorting to the provisions relating to the power of the agreement of support and confidence between the Liberals and the neo- Democrats to hold liberals accountable for their actions”}}”>We urge you, Mr. Singh, to reconsider your party’s position and make a decisive move by using the power provisions of the Liberal-NDP Support and Confidence Agreement to hold the liberals responsible for their actionswrites the union. Singh. We implore you to stand with us, in solidarity, against these injustices.”,”text”:”It is time to act, Mr. Singh. We implore you to stand with us, in solidarity, against these injustices.”}}”>It’s time to act, Mr. Singh. We implore you to stand with us, in solidarity, against these injustices.

A complaint from the border services union

In addition to the policy grievance, the Border Services (FB) bargaining unit also filed a complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labor Relations and Employment Board.

The approximately 9,000 employees working at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are still trying to reach an agreement with the government to renew their collective agreement which expired in 2022. The union therefore considers that such a decision to return to the office is not should not have been taken in the middle of negotiations.

L’PSAC and three other unions, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) and the Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACAF), will hold a press briefing Wednesday morning regarding returning to the office three days a week.

With information from Maude Ouellet and Estelle Côté-Sroka