Union complains after Winnipeg mayor says he wants staff back in office full-time

The City of Winnipeg's largest union says it's filed a grievance against the city after the mayor indicated he's looking to call all staff back to the office.

Mayor Scott Gillingham told business leaders during the annual state of the city luncheon Friday he wants employees who've been allowed to work from home as part of a flexible workplace program introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to return full-time.

"We're in the process right now of hiring a new chief administrative officer for the City of Winnipeg," Gillingham said at the luncheon. "I'm going to be making it clear to that individual my expectation as mayor is that our staff are back in the office five days a week."

Gord Delbridge, president of CUPE Local 500 — which represents about 5,000 public service workers including clerical and maintenance staff — said Monday the union has filed a policy grievance over the issue.

"It's a bad idea. The mayor needs to do his homework on this one," Delbridge said.

"There's currently 1,500 employees that were working on a flexible work schedule, and it's noted that the policy did produce … cost-savings efficiencies and was a good way to recruit and retain workers."

The city introduced its flexible workplace program in June 2022, and 1,550 employees had been approved to work from home under the program as of September 2023, representing around 15 per cent of the city's workforce.

A survey conducted by the city a year into the program found nine out of 10 employees and city leaders said staff in the program were just a productive as at the office, with a majority of respondents also finding that it was important to attracting and retaining staff.

3-day minimum getting 'positive response': Mayor

In October, interim chief administrative officer Sherwood Armbruster sent out an email to city staff announcing people in the program would now have to come to the workplace for a minimum three days a week, adding that it would be continuing despite some concerns it would be cancelled completely.

"While the feedback received has been both positive and negative, it has led to two conclusions," the email said. "The program needs to stay in place for the benefit of our employees, but it also needs adjustments to allow for more in-person interactions and ensure consistency across departments."

Gillingham said Monday there's been a "positive response" since the three-day minimum was introduced, and that the change will benefit the downtown.

"It certainly helps our local businesses as well," the mayor said.

"We have many private-sector [employers] who now have called their staff back to the office five days a week. I'm getting calls from the private sector asking me that we get … city employees back into the office."

Delbridge said he doubts bringing the union's members back to the office will do much to support the local economy because they don't earn enough to spend money on things like eating out for lunch.

He said he's received emails from frustrated employees suggesting city workers should boycott downtown businesses.

"Here's a mayor that has taken an approach of supporting business as opposed to workers," Delbridge said.

"This is really disturbing that he doesn't consult with us. He doesn't do his homework and find out what type of implications this is going to have."