Global Courant 2023-05-03 19:53:34
The protections against remote work in the preliminary agreement between Canada’s largest public sector union and the federal government could spill over into the private sector, an expert says.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the strike deal, reached April 30, includes wage increases of 12.6 percent compounded over four years and a one-time, pensionable lump sum payment of $2,500.
The federal government also agreed to review the remote work policy regarding public service employees on a case-by-case basis. Instead of applying a uniform policy to federal employees, it would remove the responsibility for management to decide whether a federal employee can work remotely. Under the agreement, the union’s 120,000 workers can say what works best for them without having to file a complaint.
According to a press releasePSAC has “negotiated the language in a statement of agreement that requires managers to review requests for remote work individually, not by group, and provide written responses that allow members and PSAC to hold the employer accountable for fair and honest decision-making about remote work .”
But the precise framework of individual remote working arrangements remains unclear.
Matthias Spitzmuller, associate professor of organizational behavior at the Smith School of Business, says far more attention needs to be paid to remote work policies.
“There should be more specific guidelines that also define what constitutes a work arrangement for which remote working would indeed be desirable and feasible,” Spitzmuller told CTV’s Your Morning on Wednesday. “So far, it’s at the manager’s discretion, on a case-by-case basis.”
Policy changes would allow remote work with a letter of intent outlining the benefits or individual needs of particular employees.
PSAC national president Chris Aylward says the preliminary agreement is a big step forward.
“During a period of record high inflation and rising corporate profits, employees were told to take less, but our members came together and fought for better,” PSAC national president Chris Aylward said in a press release. “This agreement brings important benefits to our members that will raise the bar for all employees in Canada.”
Spitzmuller points out that this is the first time remote working has become a point of discussion in negotiations with unions for civil servants, and suggests that perceptions of work are changing.
“It also reflects a general consensus that when we come out of the pandemic, we’re not just going back to how work used to be,” he said.
“This will be a lasting change in how work is perceived and performed, not just in the public sector, but I believe more broadly across Canada.”
Looking ahead, Spitzmuller believes private sector workers should also anticipate change.
“This is an agreement that I think has taken on a wider meaning, not just in the public sector. We will see this become part of working arrangements with small and large private employers across the country.”
