Beginning next week, Quebec public sector employees are required to be back in the office for “at least three days a week.” This decision was announced by France-Élaine Duranceau, the president of the Treasury Board, on December 3, along with plans for a gradual reduction in the public service workforce over a two-year period.
The return to office mandate has sparked resistance from Quebec government employee unions, including the Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) and the Syndicat des professionnels du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ).
In a recent interview, Christian Daigle, the president of SFPQ, criticized the government’s directive, suggesting that the move to increase office attendance to three days a week was primarily influenced by pressure from local chambers of commerce, rather than improving work efficiency. Daigle argued that transitioning from two days in the office to three does not offer any significant benefits.
Furthermore, Daigle highlighted that some government departments have delayed the implementation of the new policy due to unpreparedness.
