Union urges civil servants to resist request to work an extra day at office

A union has encouraged civil servants to stick to existing remote working arrangements after being asked to work an extra day from the office.

The Department of Social Protection wants to increase the minimum number of days staff work from the office from one to two.

For senior staff at the Department it wants to increase the minimum office days from two to three.

Trade union Forsa is encouraging workers to push back against moves to reduce remote working days.

It also said the Department of Finance has requested an increase in the number of office days.

Forsa’s deputy general secretary Eamonn Donnelly said the departments had “failed to honour” the terms of the 2022 Blended Working Policy Framework, which provides for an ongoing review of blended working arrangements.

Mr Donnelly said: “These changes, which significantly disadvantage workers, are scheduled to be introduced during the first week in February. No prior consultation or discussion took place with Forsa on this…