Mandatory Federal civil servants are increasingly protesting the federal government’s three-day workweek policy introduced last month. Civil servant unions claim that the policy has a negative impact on employee productivity and is wasting taxpayer money on unnecessary office maintenance costs.
Nathan Freer, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), strongly criticized the policy, saying, “This mandatory workweek has forced civil servants to work in an inefficient environment and has significantly reduced their work efficiency. It is questionable who this policy is for. It is clearly not for taxpayers or federal civil servants.”
CAPE has called on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Budget to comprehensively investigate the policy. In fact, civil servants are complaining that as offices are reduced, there is a shortage of desks and space available for commuting.
Currently, federal civil servants must reserve office space through a ‘hoteling’ system, and there are also concerns about poor working conditions and health and safety.
“Civil servants are forced to commute to work in inefficient spaces, which not only reduces productivity but also incurs unnecessary office operating costs,” said Chairman Freer.
The government explained that the policy is intended to promote collaboration among civil servants and to onboard new employees more effectively. However, Ian Lee, a business professor at Carleton University, countered that this claim is not realistic. “While the majority of federal civil servants do go to work, they often do their work remotely from other departments or locations,” Lee said. “This is essentially the same as working from home.”
Meanwhile, polls show that about 75 per cent of Canadians support or positively evaluate in-person work at least three days a week, and about 46 per cent say civil servants should be able to work from home partly.
CAPE and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) have filed a request for judicial review of the policy in the Federal Court, which will hear the case. The union also countered the government’s position with additional data on the productivity of remote work.
Citing Statistics Canada data from 2019 to 2023, CAPE said federal government productivity increased by 4.5 per cent. Some argue that the mandatory in-person visit is ultimately a way to revitalize downtown Ottawa and maintain its public transportation system.
Some retailers and restaurants in downtown Ottawa have reported increased sales since the policy was introduced, and traffic at major bridge crossings has also increased compared to the same period last year.
As the conflict between the government and the unions continues, the debate over the mandatory in-person visit is likely to continue in the federal parliament.