Canada: Government workers brace for announcement of more public-sector job cuts Wednesday

[Lucy Goosey]

For the second Wednesday in a row, workers are braced for a round of the "affected" notices, which triggers a complicated process negotiated with the 18 federal unions that departments are using to manage job losses of more than 19,200 over the next three years. This will be the largest round of notifications so far but unions expect another next week.

Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), confirmed the union was given the mandatory advance notice from departments last week that notices will be delivered to employees in 10 departments.

http://www.canada.com/business/Federal+workers+brace+massive+cuts/6440894/story.html#ixzz1rjY5q0BE

This one hits home for me - I am in PIPSC, I am at one of the affected departments (TBS), and I have a meeting this morning to "discuss the implementation of the deficit-reduction action plan." Yikes.

I'm just curious - I wonder what Canadians outside of the Ottawa bubble really think of the Public Service. I usually assume the worst - that Canadians generally think we're lazy, overpaid, underworked, etc. Is that true, in your experience? This is a very convenient myth for the politicians to perpetuate; it helps weaken the labour movement in all sectors, not just the public sector.

My job right now is procurement oversight - monitoring, auditing, training, policy analysis and enforcement, etc. The government could use more procurement oversight, not less, (see any number of recent headlines) but procurement officers are among those on the chopping block.

Anyway, I'd really love to hear what fellow Canadians think of all these cuts. Please share what you or those around you think!

[OnlinePoker]

1. You wrote this at 8:31 on a work day.

I guess it begs the question...did you do it at work? At any rate, I've worked with public sector workers in DND (Department of National Defence) in Ottawa. For the most part, they were extremely dedicated workers. As in any organization, however, there were some that would just show up and do as little as they could get away with, making for a divisive environment as others didn't feel these people were pulling their share of the load. It was next to impossible for management to do anything to these workers because the union protected them. Unfortunately, it's always the bad apples that get the press.

[Lucy Goosey]

3. I knew someone would mention that...

...I work from 9:00 to 5:00.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

2. 2 perceptions come to mind

Last edited Wed Apr 11, 2012, 09:04 PM - Edit history (2)

Some believe that taking down anyone who makes more than them is a way of leveling the playing field, as opposed to trying to raise the floor. This notion is commonplace for those who work hard (often physically), lack benefits, pension plans, and are one sick day away from loosing their job. Secondly, this resentment is expanded by frustrated and struggling small business owners who see civil servants as the willing foot soldiers of unfair governmental policy.

I'm not saying that I agree with this view, but it was often the tone of conversation over a few beers at the end of the workday at the local bar, frequented by dirty and exhausted people who worked for service industry companies like mine. Personally, I fully agree with your position, but at the same time I understand the disconnect, because people are suffering in real time and thinking about the 'big picture' doesn't help them feel any more fed, rested, appreciated or secure.

On edit: This is my observation from the Niagara area, which was a (mostly unionized) manufacturing powerhouse but is now a rust belt bad dream, and there's no indication that anything is going to change.

[OnlinePoker]

4. What was the result of your meeting?

Were you one of the unlucky ones?

[Lucy Goosey]

5. No, I was one of the lucky ones

My department isn't losing any procurement officers this time; we'll have to see what happens for the next two years.

[OnlinePoker]

6. Any time a government announces blanket job cuts,

it's a crap shoot as to which department is going to get hit. DND is taking a big chunk of the cuts, which makes sense given Canada's war in Afghanistan is winding down. To be honest, though, the cuts are less than I expected given the Conservatives mantra of "fiscal restraint".