Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic forced a global shift to remote work, a significant dispute over returning to the office is brewing within the Scottish Government. While the private sector has largely resumed in-person operations, a standoff between ministers and civil servants highlights a stark divide.
The Union's Stand Against Office Return
In a move that has sparked political and public anger, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), representing Scottish Government staff, has threatened industrial action. This comes in response to a new, and arguably modest, requirement for civil servants to attend their physical workplaces for a minimum of two days per week, or 40% of their time, starting from October this year.
The union's reaction has been fierce. In a letter to Scotland's top civil servant, Permanent Secretary Joe Griffin, the PCS labelled the request "offensive" to staff who may face barriers to returning. They further accused the Scottish Government of feeding a "pernicious Right-wing culture war" by simply asking employees to come to the offices they are paid to work in.
Laughably, the union letter also criticised government leaders for failing to counter what it called a false "narrative" that those resisting the return are "lazy and unprofessional." This stance has been widely criticised as being out of touch with the expectations placed upon workers in the private sector, who returned to offices once lockdowns ended.
A Failure of Leadership and Public Backlash
The situation has been exacerbated by what many perceive as weak leadership. Appearing before Holyrood’s finance committee in June, Joe Griffin confirmed that staff refusing the two-day office mandate might not face disciplinary action, stating he wanted the policy implemented in "a kind way." This approach has arguably emboldened the union's hardline position.
Public sympathy for the striking civil servants is expected to be in desperately short supply. The article points out that countless businesses folded during the pandemic, and there would be no shortage of willing replacements for any civil servant who finds the basic requirement of office attendance "desperately unfair."
The union's argument that the custom and practice of the last five years should justify permanent home-working is seen as intellectually lazy. It ignores the fundamental change in circumstances since the peak of the health crisis, especially with the widespread availability of effective Covid-19 vaccines for over three years.
A Contrast with Scotland's Trade Union History
The current dispute presents a stark contrast to the legacy of respected Scottish trade unionists like the late Jimmy Reid. Reid earned widespread respect by leading the famous Upper Clyde Shipbuilders 'work-in' in 1971, a campaign focused on the right to work and the value of labour.
Critics argue that the PCS has lost sight of its core duties. Instead of protecting members' long-term interests, the union is making them more vulnerable by fighting a battle against a perfectly reasonable management instruction. The threat of strikes over a two-day office week is viewed as wildly unreasonable and risks alienating the very taxpayers who fund the civil service jobs and their fat pension pots.
The conclusion is uncompromising: there is no negotiation to be had. If Scottish Government staff refuse to comply with the return-to-work policy, their bosses, acting on behalf of the public, should be prepared to sack them. The best way for civil servants to counter accusations of being lazy and unprofessional is simply to stop being so.
