Letter to the Editor

Mona Fortier called it a “blank cheque,” but what do striking public servants actually want?

As a public servant, I would like to talk about why we are now in the midst of the largest strike in our nation’s history. I want to break down some of the terms at the bargaining table, as well as the context that reveals what these terms mean to public servants and the Canadians we humbly serve.

There is no current contract for the public servants in the bargaining groups taking part in the strike. The last contracts expired in 2021, and inflation percent change since 2021 is 11.25%.

On the low end of the pay scale, some of the union members make less than $20 per hour. The average salary for members of the largest bargaining group (PA, or Program and Administrative Services) is around $68,000.

The employer’s offer would mean a raise of 2.06% on average. This doesn’t begin to cover inflation and is a real wage cut for more than 155,000 workers. Retention of qualified workers suffers when wages aren’t competitive, especially when living costs are so high across the country.

Numerous services have been contracted out to private companies. One example is the Service Canada hotline, 1-800-O-Canada, which is contracted to an American company specializing in debt collection, with a reputation for poor working conditions. Contracting out to private companies often comes with a lack of transparency for the Canadian public, a high price tag, and service that does not meet expectations.

On top of that, we do a disservice to our own economy by choosing to contract out.

Many of the represented workers are essential workers (around 40,000), many of whom supported essential services that all Canadians use during the pandemic. Those who were not essential performed their work from home, which served to decrease sick leave and improve work/life balance, which can lower stress and further reduce sick leave in the long run.

For those still doubting the efficiency of remote work, Canadians proved to be very adaptable and productive during the pandemic, with Canada seeing a net increase in productivity of 25% according to the Global Remote Work Productivity Tracker.

Sixty-five per cent of remote workers in Canada estimated their annual savings from working remotely to be in the $5,000-$10,000 range. Taxpayers also save money when less leased or owned office space is being retained and maintained for public servants.

The (illegal) mandate by Treasury Board has forced workers into the office with no regard for the financial, environmental, and accessibility implications.

Remote work enables managers to hire the most skilled applicants regardless of physical location, and applicants managing chronic illnesses or pain or otherwise having reduced mobility will not need to be excluded from the process.

The violence, harassment, discrimination, and abuse of authority in the public service that sparked several class action suits are not priority issues for this government. The union is calling for mandatory training for workers and managers to improve working conditions for public servants.

I hope this letter serves to at least pique interest in advocating for change. Canadians deserve transparency, representation, high quality service, and a flourishing economy. My colleagues and I are very grateful for the outpouring of support the public has shown us, and I have a lot of hope for the future.

Rachel Mendgen,

Creston

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