Navigating the Federal Workforce Shake-Up: Job Trades, Buyouts, and the Fight for Survival in Canada's Public Service

As the federal government pushes forward with plans to downsize the public service, thousands of civil servants across Canada are facing a complex and uncertain future. With job cuts looming, employees are weighing options like buyouts, early retirement packages, and a unique job-trading process to navigate the changes.

The Government's Downsizing Strategy

The federal government aims to cut 16,000 positions through various means, including early retirements, voluntary departures, and attrition. This is part of a broader plan to reduce the public service by approximately 40,000 positions compared to the peak in 2023-2024, targeting savings of nearly $13 billion over four years. In the last year alone, the civil service has already shrunk by 10,000 jobs.

Job Trading: A Lifeline for Some

One key mechanism helping employees stay employed is "alternation," a process negotiated by unions that allows civil servants to trade jobs with someone exiting a position. This program matches job-seekers with employees leaving the civil service, providing a pathway for those affected by cuts to remain in the public service.

• The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has over 2,100 members using an online platform it created to facilitate these matches.
• The Treasury Board launched its own internal platform last year.
• Other unions, like the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), and some government departments have developed similar platforms.

These online sites connect federal workers, allowing them to share experiences about different jobs and find potential matches. However, not all departments are fully on board. PIPSC president Sean O’Reilly noted that some departments "don’t want to participate" in the job-matching process, questioning the government's commitment to making it work effectively.

Union Perspectives and Challenges

PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa described the alternation process as "one of the best ways for workers who received an opting or surplus letter to stay in the public service." However, she criticized the lack of a centralized government platform, arguing that a more "transparent" and "fair" system would have been preferable. DeSousa emphasized that "cuts were already happening, and workers were left to figure it out on their own."

Employees covered under collective bargaining agreements may know their general options but often lack specific details about their situations. Departments are moving at different paces, and certain measures—like early retirements—cannot proceed until the budget passes after Parliament returns.

The Competitive Reality: "Like The Hunger Games"

If departments fail to reduce staffing sufficiently through early retirements and voluntary departures, workers wanting to remain employed must apply for other positions. In such cases, members of the same team may have to compete with each other for a limited number of remaining roles. This process, known as "selection of employees for retention or layoff," does not consider union seniority, leading to intense competition.

PIPSC president Sean O’Reilly likened this scenario to "The Hunger Games," referencing the dystopian film where adolescents fight to the death. He argued that this amounts to the government pitting workers against each other, creating a stressful and unfair environment.

The Bigger Picture: Workforce Management and Employee Treatment

Jim Mitchell, an academic and former public servant, explained that options like alternation are collectively bargained to facilitate "reasonable treatment of employees during periods of downsizing or change." The process is designed to take time, avoiding dramatic shifts while allowing the government to "manage its workforce as best it can to meet the needs of the country as it defines them."

Despite these mechanisms, the uncertainty remains. As DeSousa pointed out, many workers "don’t have that information" about their futures, adding to the anxiety surrounding the downsizing efforts.

Key Takeaways for Public Servants

• Explore all options: Buyouts, early retirement, and job trading (alternation) are available pathways.
• Utilize union resources: Platforms like those from PSAC and PIPSC can help connect employees with job opportunities.
• Prepare for competition: In some cases, employees may need to compete for remaining positions, so updating skills and resumes is crucial.
• Stay informed: Keep up with department-specific updates and union communications to navigate the changes effectively.

This period of transition highlights the challenges and opportunities within Canada's public service, as employees and unions work to adapt to a shifting landscape.