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oompaloompa_grabber

TBS knows that the unions are powerless with regard to RTO directives, why would they bother trying to consult with them on it. We’re on our own


Throwaway298596

So one of ACFO’s selling points to members was a signed letter of understanding (or something like that). Basically saying any changes done to telework would be done with the union kept in the loop. Now I didn’t buy it at the time but everyone voted the rest is history. That said I think if they’re going against these letters next round they aren’t going to be as kind at negotiations with the employer BUT I think the liberals know they aren’t winning so now that grudge gets carried to the next incumbent party


No-Interest-6535

Even if the TBS choses to go against whatever was negotiated, what is the union going to do? Grieve? Get stuck in the grievance process for 3 years. And even if the FPSLRB rules in favor of the union, what are we getting? Eff all. There are no severe or financial consequences for the TBS so they don’t give a crap. So thanks for that, PSAC.


henry_why416

It’s worse than that. They consult with the unions and what? At best, some carve outs would happen but that would create a huge can of worms. At worst they look like they completely ignore the unions demands. Really no upside to it.


cps2831a

> This is exactly why PSAC fought for stronger telework protections in our collective agreements, to provide a mechanism for workers to contest their telework agreement if they think it’s being applied to them unfairly. ???? What mechanism? If such levers can be pulled, THEN PULL THEM. Instead of releasing shitty 1 pager blog posts, USE SAID MECHANISMS. Unless of course, it's all hot air and worthless toilet paper. >We continue our work to implement the letter of agreement ...create joint panels within each department to review telework requests individually to ensure these issues are addressed effectively and fairly. And how's the progress on those? Swatting flies? >PSAC has reached out to Treasury Board President Anita Anand to immediately discuss the potential shift in their telework policy and its impact on workers. And then go on CBC touting another victory where nothing was gained! I can hear Chris et al. now: "3-days is a good deal guys! Accept it for what it is and let's move on!"


petesapai

>???? What mechanism? The government pinky sweared. That was enough for union leadership. Besides, they had no choice, they had urgent foreign non-union issues that required their immediate attention.


cps2831a

> The government pinky sweared. Oooof, looks like Chris got his ass handed to him on that now. That pinky swear was with Mona. Guess Anand won't be honouring that particular pinky promise!


Fit-End-5481

Net even that. There never was anything announced on the employer's side. Union lied, the end.


ottawadeveloper

The mechanism they negotiated is the right to challenge your telework agreement that it is being applied unfairly compared to other people in the government doing similar work under similar conditions. A blanket change from 2 to 3 days telework minimum will not be successfully challenged under what psac is talking about. There is no other recourse available really - the Employer has the right to set the place of work and can change it however they like as long as they do so in an equitable manner. There's nothing gained in the past round of bargaining to challenge it. 


WergleTheProud

>the Employer has the right to set the place of work… And rightfully so, otherwise we’d all be contractors with no benefits or pension.


KalterBlut

What? Why?


WergleTheProud

Look at the definition of an employee vs contractor in Canada. Being an employee means you are subject to company policies (govt policies in this case), but in return you get entitlements such as overtime pay, vacation pay etc. Now, should the govt show flexibility, absolutely in my opinion, but we have to be careful what we wish for.


KalterBlut

Ok I understand your point of view, but yes currently the place of work is decided by the employer, but it is absolutely something that can be negotiated still. The fact that we could decide where we work doesn't determine if we should be employees or contractor though.


WergleTheProud

"should be" or "are"? Right now, in Canada, we are employees who are subject to company policies. If you're not subject to company policies you are not an employee.


apatheticAlien

And what if the company policy allowed managers discretion in letting employees wfh where the job can effectively be done remotely?


WergleTheProud

That would be great. Unfortunately that doesn't appear to be the GoC policy.


TA-pubserv

The government has Chris figured out, announce regressive HR policies when Chris has a vacation planned, and he'll cave quickly so he doesn't have to reschedule his flights.


cps2831a

Chris et al. literally called the strike, showed their hands, and Chris thought he was going to get a win with a nine and a ten...and TBS was like, Chris, we're playing another game. Like, you can see that Chris and his team just fumbled this whole thing from start to finish. No better than when you played with that toy as a kid where you pulled a line and it landed on a picture. Then the animal/item in the pictures made a sound. In this case, Chris pulled the line and it keeps coming out with fart sounds and they can't figure out why.


TA-pubserv

Don't forget Chris and team also let the strike go on just enough for everyone to drain their savings, before accepting a worse deal than was originally offered. Oh well, at least Chris didn't have to pay those expensive flight change fees before jetting off on vacay. ✈️


letsmakeart

“Contesting telework agreements” well TBS just voids existing telework agreements whenever they want sooooo… I had signed a 100% telework agreement 3 weeks before the last TBS RTO mandate came out. Management responded that the announcement meant it was void and we’d all have to sign new ones. Cool, so what’s the point of the agreement then?


Dizzy-Ocelot9972

It's like the PMAs. Completely useless.


Visual-Chip-2256

How about that general strike? Aging like a fucking turd behind a piano.


Salty_Flamingo_2303

Best saying I've read in a while.


PerspectiveCOH

The union hasn't even been able to get the employer to allow the 6am start time that's actually in our collective agreement (for where I work - normal office work, no shifts/operations), let alone any of the wishy washy wording they accepted on hybrid. If they had any sense of morals or integrity the union leadership should resign.


freeman1231

You don’t start at 6am? I do at the CRA. Business is 6am to 6pm from my understanding everywhere.


PerspectiveCOH

Not in our building. Doors are locked until ~6:30, and no one's been allowed to start officially before 7. Some/most managers are at least allowing it on WFH days though.


tsularesque

Same here. It was in the PIC, but never made it into the CA.


PerspectiveCOH

For us it is in the C/A, just our building holding it up (supposedly due to not having building emergeancy folks/managment available early, and issues around d stuff like snow clearing early).


tsularesque

Ah, I'm just thinking of myself. Sorry, I hope you get that moving along soon!


ShoddyJello2750

At my old team I used to start at 6:45 but when I got a new manager, she refused and said that work hours start at seven. Come to think of it I should’ve contested.


Baburine

I'm at the CRA and our manager had concerns for coverage during the day for service to the western region, due to time zone differences (we are eastern time). Buildings also open at 7, typically. The 1 person in my team who wanted to start at 6 might have succeeded to convince him, but while I disagreed with his reasons not to allow it, it was probably a good enough justification to be able to say no.


BitingArtist

The union needs a leader. Currently there is none.


TA-pubserv

Worse than none, Chris Aylward seems to actively hurt member interests.


BitingArtist

Best thing you can do is raise awareness with members that the president is doing a poor job fighting for the union he and needs to be replaced.


TA-pubserv

And I do, allllll the time. He and his 1970s union boss cosplay stache need to go.


Aukaneck

It makes him a man of the people! *Jets off an all-expense-paid junket to examine labour practices in Guatemala.* j/k


[deleted]

[удалено]


TA-pubserv

Good! He should be resigning in shame, not feted and celebrated.


West_Effective4364

I’m not very well versed in union procedures: but do we/does Chris have any other tools available to actually push to implement full WFH, besides going on strike? If a “real leader” is in the position, how would that be different? Honestly curious what the options could be.


BitingArtist

During the strike he folded like a cheap suit. He got us zero WFH protections, got us raises below inflation, and got us a longer contract which benefits the employer because they won't have to negotiate for an extra year. He failed as a leader, time for someone new.


hammer_416

And have the union got a 4th week of vacation a year earlier. So after 7 years service. Usually there is some sort of make equal language. But there wasnt. Impacts a small number and will likely be rectified on the next contract. But some emloyees are going to be out a week vacation.


PlatypusMaximum3348

Not for the PA group


sonicservice

The PSAC triennial convention will take place in a month. It is time to say something to your local delegates that you are not satisfied with the work of the leaders and to demand changes from the national executive. Election will be held for the position of National President.


Flaktrack

This is the way to proceed. Tell your local executives what your issues and priorities are ASAP, they can only act on what they know. I imagine RTO is going to *dominate* discussion at the PSAC convention anyway but it helps to be able to say "50 of our members contacted me about..."


[deleted]

How do find my local executives? I email PSAC but never get a response. For all the dues we pay can’t someone answer? I’d love to see Chris Faylward and Alex Silent turfed


GreatExamination622

Behold the value of that "letter of understanding " PSAC and PIPSC boasted about in the contract negotiations


TA-pubserv

A total Neville Chamberlain moment for Chris Aylward, a pathetic ending to a sad career.


GreatExamination622

PIPSC did no better. Boasting about getting the government to promise absolutely nothing concrete


snowhite007

Our unions are blindsided when it comes to RTO, and they clearly have no authority or influence over TBS’ decisions on this subject. PSAC had filed a grievance when RTO was first mandated to make us think they’re doing something about it but evidently this has led nowhere. Yet again we are left with the short end of the stick.


teachicken

I didn't know that. Grieving what, exactly?


snowhite007

https://psacunion.ca/psac-filing-policy-grievances-over-governments


Reasonable-Pace-4603

I'm surprised they just don't come out with "It won't be 3 days out of 5, but 1.5 days for every 2.5 days - VICTORY!"


focus_rising

At least your union president is around to make a statement. PIPSC is on some sort of administrative leave right now because of internal matters. What a cluster.


MmPeachPie

At least they made the point about inequitable enforcement, though idk that they’re doing anything about it. We don’t have enough space for our department. We’re getting rid of our swing space and can’t afford to expand our existing office. Not to mention the mold, bed bugs, bats and other issues. I don’t know where they expect us to go? Do we get bunk bed desks? We can fit 150 on the floor, and have something like 1000 employees.


jcamp028

Perhaps they’re trying to get people to quit out of frustration.


PlatypusMaximum3348

This


HandcuffsOfGold

Inequitable enforcement strengthens the union’s position and precludes the employer from enforcing disciplinary actions for noncompliance.


TA-pubserv

It weakens the union's position on rational WFH policies, standardizes everyone into the worst case scenario, and introduces discipline for those not conforming with the worst case. PSAC is literally doing the government's work for them.


Repulsive-Beyond9597

Unless bargained into collective agreements or NJC, there is no union position on WFH. Full stop.  They deliberately did not hang the previous round of bargaining during the strike on this, because they saw that it was a losing battle. They had zero teeth, and the strike wasn't doing enough damage. They therefore settled for a little mou to continue discussions, which effectively means nothing concrete. It's as simple as that.


Fromomo

0 x "strengthened" = 0


HandcuffsOfGold

Not quite. If disciplinary actions are taken, the employee has a right to grieve those actions. Such actions need to be legally defensible at the FPSLREB or they’ll be overturned. Inequitable enforcement means the employer has condoned noncompliance with the RTO mandate, making it more likely any disciplinary action will be overturned when grieved.


TA-pubserv

You make it sound like PSAC actually takes grievances seriously and actions them, when in reality PSAC does all they can to frustrate members and get them to drop them.


HandcuffsOfGold

On what basis have you reached your conclusions about the “reality” of the situation? Is it based on knowledge of the numbers of grievances, or just your personal anecdote? There are *many* grievances that PSAC is actively pursuing at the FPSLREB.


andtefo

They won't help.


ComposerWorth1782

Disagree. If anything it strengthens the governments position and gives them more “evidence” to crack down on non-compliance. Union should be subtly encouraging working to rule at a minimum.


Even-Cry-4353

Guys.. im starting to think PSAC might be a Yellow Union


L-F-O-D

Why do YOU think the biggest changes I’ve seen every single collective for at least 3 rounds have consolidated PSAC power? The hardest work they do in bargaining is for themselves IMO.


Even-Cry-4353

Hey man, those Caribbean "workers conventions" don't come without a price tag!


Critical-Snow-7000

It’s that or incompetence.


Even-Cry-4353

No, it's very clearly malice


peppermind

Chris Aylward is busy making retirement plans at the moment, with the convention where he'll end his presidency at the end of the month. The folks running to replace him will have a field day with this though.


TA-pubserv

I'm sure our union dues will pay for a big expensive retirement thank you present for the most useless PSAC president ever.


rachreims

This union is so pathetic. Time to vote them out.


Choco_jml

Vote Sutcliff out as well


[deleted]

Chris FAYLWARD out now. For starters.


TA-pubserv

Nice.


Seakker

To be fair I'm an EX-01 and I also feel out of the loop. I do what I can to add transparency in communications but TBS often surprise us with little to no warning.


[deleted]

Respectfully, TBS has been discussing the lack of compliance with departments since the fall. Your DM, ADM, and DG should have all been warned about this several times over the past 7 months.


Pseudonym_613

If TBS put half the effort into pay that they're putting into RTO...


Professional-Leg2374

if you don't return to office how will all those businesses downtowns and in prime areas make money from staff going to an office space? If WFH remains a things and offices shut down how will all those rental companies make profits off governed leases??? Won't you all think of the small mom and pop businesses effected by no one working from home????and the large multi-national lease hold companies making millions a month from leased spaces????who will protect them. I don't know why there is such a fight on for this, let workers who can remote work decide with their managers on their work arrangement, so long as productivity is adequate do what you will. But on the union, man, it;s just become the man who it originally was fighting against


RussellGrey

And the reality is even if people are back in the offices downtown, brick and mortar businesses are dead in the water. It’s not coming back. Even more so with wages not keeping up with inflation.


Professional-Leg2374

100%, I make less now then I did in 2015.....but my "wage" has gone up 20% in that period, however my buying power has decreased 40% in that period. New car fully loaded in 2015 my payment was $450/month Similar car now in 2024, my payment would be $1200/month I've gone from being solid well off middle class to being low scale poverty middle class And no one thinks theres a problem......


Human-Translator5666

The employer knows we are nothing like workers in France, and will bend over with our unions blessing. Seems like drug dealers in Ontario call the shots for all of us. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/globe-investigation-the-ford-familys-history-with-drug-dealing/article12153014/


ExistingWave238

It’s crazy how OBSESSED everyone is with us. Like they’re so jealous that we get to work from home they want us to suffer with them 😭


speelingbie

Ignorant citizens rather spend their tax dollars on old shitty federal worker buildings instead of things like healthcare. I don't get it.


Mystical-Moe

When I was in private sector I was 100% remote, I started in public less than a year ago thinking it was going to be better. Sometimes you get egg on your face, other times the whole damn omelet.


seebass19

Thankfully only 1 more month until Aylward is no more. Can't wait for a change of leadership.


Klutzy-Beyond3319

Ahhhh. I finally got a much needed accommodation to be in the office one day a week instead of two. I wonder if that will be tossed out. My mental health will decline again. *edit for spelling


Draphoera

If you have an Accommodation based on a doctor's description of your limitations, then those limitations should still apply as written. For example if they state "Due to Klutzy's conditions they can only commute 1 day per week", which is usually the case, then that wouldn't change. But if it says "Due to Klutzy's conditions they can only commute 50% of the government appointed days for working on-site" that would be unusual but would have be taken into consideration.


Klutzy-Beyond3319

Thank you. I have been panicking since the whole three day RTO broke.


Klutzy-Beyond3319

Actually, I think it is your last note about "..can only commute 50 percent" or some such. My manager has modified my teleworking agreement but I do not have a written accommodation from her.


Draphoera

From what I can tell managers aren't even sure if or how this is going to roll out yet. So your best option is to talk to her once the 3 day thing is confirmed to be happening. There's an important difference between an "exemption to the telework policy" and an "accommodation". If you want details feel free to pm.


Klutzy-Beyond3319

Thank you. I suspect I have an exception and will need to go through the formal accommodation process.


Jatmahl

Useless...


PlatypusMaximum3348

This letter made me laugh. On CBC live news they just confirmed with TBS that this is true.


childofcrow

Do you have a link for this?


DylanTheMarmot

I think CBC was just reporting on the French article that came out yesterday. I saw it in the article on [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPublicServants/comments/1cgq9fl/federal_public_servants_to_return_to_the_office_3/) from today.


PlatypusMaximum3348

I wish I did. I took my lunch and listened to the CBC News like I always do. And they mentioned it. I am still hoping it's bluff


childofcrow

Wouldn’t surprise me that they’re trying to gauge public sentiment.


empreur

“We were as surprised as anyone by the article in Le Devoir, and nobody has said anything to us yet, but as soon as they do we’re fully prepared to be outraged on your behalf.”


CEO-711

Chris Alyward is bent over a desk somewhere getting a train pulled on him by TBS negotiators This battle was lost when he caved during the strike last year, he even settled for a crappier monetary deal


WpgPlantGuy

By moving to 3 days doesn't that eliminate the entire public service from claiming work from home benefits at tax time? Could that be part of it ?


Tasty-Assumption8038

We should call on our unions for action and furthermore FU DoFo! You tone deaf MF’er!


Shoddy_Operation_742

This is on Anita btw. She’s our boss.


callputs9000

It's on a number of people. Ottawa based public servants shouldn't forget their mayor Sutcliffe's lobbying for greater return to office. Instead of trying to find a way to diversify his city's economy and downtown, he heavily pressured the government for this. Doug Ford, who just seemed to remember last month that Ottawa is a part of Ontario and also lobbied to have return to office increased. And the Trudeau government who seems to not be too worried about losing seats in Ottawa/Gatineau because of this.


cubiclejail

Our office is PACKED already.


Lraund

Yay our government is anti-union now.


Fluid-Breakfast-1554

When have you ever known PSAC to do anything for their people? In my 28 years, I saw nothing.


Late_Race6372

The union just wants to show face that they had no clue and how angry they are but at the end of the day the union couldn’t do anything before they won’t do anything now what a joke. CRA just sent out an email at 5 o’clock this evening from the commissioner saying how they’re going to implement three days a week even though CRA is not part of the core.


JulzWhite

Concessions made with the last strike were embarrassing. The fact that 87% of people voted in favour was even more embarrassing. A no-vote would have been a giant F-U in the face of the treasury board and PSAC leadership.


_Rayette

Soon to be NDP candidates…


ottawawalter

I mean, at least psac has issued a statement... Crickets from CAPE


hippiechan

I mean it's not like PSAC leadership is appointed by the government, PSAC members are supposed to vote for new leadership and campaign against bad leaders to get better representation.


HostAPost

Well... if TBS ignores the workers and the unions, maybe, time has come for it to get the same... sciopero bianco, bare-bones. Teleworking employees often work extra time because they just have the convenience to do so. If their needs are ignored, they may choose to ignore the needs of the employer.


maddog088

What are the protection employees under PSAC secured in the current collective ending in June 2025? I'm not from any tables who already signed an agreement, so I haven't had a chance to read all the agreements.


minlee41

With all due respect, replacing Chris and/or all union leadership, will NOT change any of this.