USJE strongly objects to the Department of Justice’s strategy for reducing government spending

USJE has recently learned that, like many departments and agencies, Canada’s Department of Justice is required to pursue significant operational cost savings through the Government of Canada’s initiative, ‘Refocusing Government Spending’. In a recent communication, the Justice Department stated the following:

“Through careful planning, Justice’s executive team mapped out an approach that reduced our spending in travel, professional services, operations and grants and contributions. We looked for efficiencies, leveraged new technologies and identified savings via attrition and not filling vacant positions.

To implement the department’s savings targets set by Treasury Board, Justice Canada’s salary budget will be reduced. The development of the plan to implement the reduction is underway. Our objective is to achieve savings through natural attrition to the greatest extent possible to minimize the impact on employees.”

Many of USJE’s members within the Department of Justice are already experiencing very high workloads, as recognized in recent National Labour Management Consultation Committee meetings.

The crucial operational support provided by USJE members within the Department is inherently quite stressful because of the sustained exposure to traumatic materials related to the criminal justice system.  Consequently, USJE members working within the Department of Justice are already vulnerable to developing a mental health injury or experiencing burn out because of the conditions of their work.

The Department of Justice’s decision to save on costs by not filling vacant positions and by attrition will inevitably place a heavier burden on those employees who are left standing. While the Department of Justice sets targets for operational cost savings, its executive team appears to have failed to map out how it intends to reduce the workload to account for the reduction in workforce.  

USJE strongly objects to any cuts to the operational and administrative backbone within the Department of Justice. Any cuts that target human resources but fail to account for an approach that equally reduces the workload are careless and irresponsible.

USJE is gravely concerned that these developments will compromise the mental well-being of our members, and create unsustainable workloads that will increase the likelihood of burn out and that may have serious impacts on public safety.