MEDIA RELEASE: Union Denounces Back-To-Office Mandate

(Dartmouth) Premier Tim Houston has decided to end flexible remote work arrangements for between 2,500 to 3,000 civil servants, effective April 20th. Approximately half of the affected members live in the metro Halifax area.

“Rather than looking at alternate workplaces as a cost-savings measure, Premier Houston has decided to pass the buck onto these workers, while forcing more commuters onto our crowded roads,” said NSGEU President Sandra Mullen.

Many NSGEU members have had long-standing flexible work agreements in place since the beginning of 2020, or before. Since then, employees have shaped their lives around these agreements: moving to more affordable rural communities, modifying their childcare arrangements, and more.

Interestingly, this decision comes at a time when the government is facing their $1.4-billion deficit, with the Premier stating that government will be the first to feel the pain.

“It’s clear now that what he meant is that civil servants will be the first to feel this pain as they will now incur extra travel, parking and other expenses. Parking and traffic in the downtown core is already at a crisis level and this will only increase that chaos for everyone.”

The government has offered no statistical evidence to suggest this will make for a more effective or efficient workplace. The union is also concerned that government offices do not have the space to accommodate all of these workers being forced back into the office.

“Now, these workers are being given two months’ notice to adapt to the Premier’s whim,” said Mullen.

“This has all the markings of a Premier trying to look tough to his corporate friends while punishing workers and propping up commercial landlords. Rather than actually addressing the largest provincial deficit in history that he has created, Premier Houston is spending his time disrupting and distracting.”

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