What the federal workers' deal means for the future of remote work

The right to work from home was among the sticking points in the negotiations between the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the federal government.

The union is claiming a victory in the government agreeing to review remote work on a case-by-case basis, rather than applying a "one-size-fits-all" policy to federal workers. 

But the updated policy was left out of the tentative agreement reached overnight Sunday.

Experts say the outcome reflects how our approach to remote work still needs to be fine-tuned as workers and their managers adapt to the post-pandemic era. Even so, it still represents a significant step that could have ripple effects in the private sector, they say.

"This isn't the sort of thing you can negotiate with a knife at your throat on either side," said economist Armine Yalnizyan.

A more extensive review of remote work policies makes sense, given the complexity of the issue and the urgency of the current labour dispute, she said.

"This is a brand-new story for human resources in the public and the private sector," said Yalnizyan, who is also the Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers.

"We haven't figured our way through this story yet."

The tentative agreement covers more than 120,000 Treasury Board workers across the country. (Another 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers are still on strike).

According to the PSAC, the tentative agreement includes wage increases of 12.6 per cent compounded over four years, and a one-time, pensionable lump-sum payment of $2,500.

The dispute over remote work began when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted late last year.

The Treasury Board told employees they should return to the office for two to three days a week, starting in mid-January. That plan was fully implemented at the end of March.

The union had been fighting that plan and seeking to get remote work rights enshrined in their collective agreement. On that point, they were not successful.

Speaking with reporters Monday, Treasury Board president Mona Fortier described the new commitment regarding remote work as a "letter of intent outside the collective bargaining agreement."