(Quebec) The unions denounce Quebec’s decision to impose a gradual return to the office on certain civil servants this week. They even suggest that the government is giving in to pressure from downtown merchants.
The State announced last week a gradual return to “face-to-face” as of Monday for managers and their close collaborators at the rate of two days a week. The rest of the officials will have to return to the office by the end of January.
The president of the Union of Professionals of the Government of Quebec (SPGQ) wonders why she initiated this return to the office just before the holidays.
“Are people going to come home two days before Christmas and come back after Christmas?” Seriously, can this be considered good management? »Asks Line Lamarre.
Both the SPGQ and the Syndicat de la function publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) regret that they were not consulted by Quebec. According to them, the state acted urgently to bring civil servants back to city centers before the holidays.
“What we are seeing is a government saying ‘listen to downtowns need you, wouldn’t you want to go downtown and spend money?’ », Believes Line Lamarre.
“Certainly there is pressure, for the bars, for the restaurants, which must be impatient,” she said. In downtown Quebec, the public service is an unexpected windfall, just at Complex G, it supports a lot of small businesses. ”
The president of the SFPQ sees things the same way. “For us it’s rushed. We see no interest except an economic interest, depending on what the large traders want, namely to bring workers back to city centers, ”says Christian Daigle.
“What other reason could there be for bringing workers back to city centers? Members do 100% of their tasks. There was no delay, ”says the union leader.
No surprises according to Quebec
The government responds that last week’s announcement comes as no surprise to anyone. The officials were originally scheduled to return to the office last September.
“The return to work of civil servants has been in the works for months. We have also postponed this return twice rather than once because of the fourth wave, while specifying that the return would take place as soon as the situation would allow it, ”replied Florence Plourde, from the office of the minister responsible for the event. ‘Government administration, Sonia Lebel.
“Public health at the beginning of November revised its recommendation on teleworking, in order to encourage face-to-face return”, adds Mme Plourde.
The government hopes that 50% of workers will be back in the office by January 14 and 100% by January 28, 2022. Their return will be in hybrid mode, with an office presence and telecommuting days.
The president of the SPGQ also believes that the Quebec state should have postponed the return to face-to-face for ecological reasons.
“We ask that people return to work the day after COP26 knowing full well that that means putting thousands of cars on the roads. If the environment was important, it would be a great chance to participate, ”says Line Lamarre.
The civil servants’ unions do not hide it: they would like their members who so desire to be able to continue to do part of their week teleworking once the pandemic is over, in terms to be established.