An info picket was held on November 6 at Correctional Service of Canada national headquarters (NHQ) in response to a new directive advising that many regional CSC employees will soon be forced to commute to the workplace five days a week. The move is seen as unnecessary and is vigorously rejected by those affected.
RVPs JP Surette and Sonia O’Brien-Colterman mobilized union support and set up the info picket at both entrances of NHQ to ensure that as many employees as possible be made aware of what was happening in the regions, and to take action to support their regional colleagues.
“What’s important to keep in mind is, if it’s happening in the regions, it could very well happen here in Ottawa,” stated RVP Surette. “We are going to be actively contesting this decision. Whether you are in the regions or at NHQ, there is a lot of good work that can be done from home. We’ve already proven that.”
USJE union activists were joined in solidarity at the info picket by 20 members of several other unions, including GSU and CEIU reps. The Regional Executive Vice-President for the PSAC, Ruth Lau MacDonald, was also in attendance.
We thank our union friends for their support and solidarity on this fundamental issue of hybrid work. CSC’s methods of a top-down, inflexible approach is outdated and paternalistic. Our union will continue to support employees affected by CSC’s shortsighted one-size-fits-all approach to the future of work.