May 2024
Chris Aylward, President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, says the union in promising a “summer of discontent” after the Liberal government has mandated that federal public servants must return to the office three days a week. It looks like the federal public service love affair with Trudeau is in the past, just like 2015.
I certainly do understand the argument that there are many jobs that don’t necessarily require the worker to be in the office. Working from home is certainly a great option for a day when there’s a massive snowstorm and a 50-car pile-up on Highway 400. That said, both public and private sector employers have every right to expect their workers to be in the office up to five days a week, if they see fit. If you don’t like it, quit! Then you can spend all the time at home that you desire. What’s next, birthdays off at full pay? Oh, wait, they probably already have that entitlement.
Doing his best David “entitled to my entitlements” Dingwall impersonation, Aylward told reporters at a press conference that the Liberals were “Forcing hundreds of thousands of workers to needlessly now spend more money on transportation, childcare and other expenses is a move in the wrong direction…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 and not right-wing premiers.”
Where’s Ronald Reagan when we need him?! He knew exactly what to do in a situation like this one!
Aylward has stated the he and other union leaders sent a letter to the New Democrats urging the party to reconsider the NDP’s agreement with the Liberals, thus forcing the Liberals to act in the union’s favour. I guess Aylward hasn’t noticed that the NDP doesn’t care about unions anymore. They only care about their own interests (pensions) and those of the Champaign Socialist class.
Sources: ‘Summer of discontent’ coming over public service in-office order: unions – National | Globalnews.ca, Public service unions promise ‘summer of discontent’ over in-office policy | CTV News.
