Thousands of Alberta government employees return to offices as hybrid work plan ends

Thousands of Alberta government workers returned to work in their offices full time Monday.

Sunday marked the official end of the province’s hybrid-work option, which was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says many workers are unhappy with the full-time arrangement.

The union says members were ordered back full time in part to help boost local economies – an accusation the government rejects.

To express their frustration with the full-time return, AUPE says workers have placed brown paper lunch bags on their desks on their first day back with a note stating: "Hybrid work tastes better."

"Members are bringing these to work to spread the word about the campaign to colleagues – and to send a powerful visual message to the employer that this issue is important to us," the union said in a Monday statement.

The union added exceptions have been made for some workers.

Alberta's government has said than 12,000 workers participated in hybrid arrangements allowing them to also work from home.

The province says circumstances have changed and it’s time to bring workers back to strengthen collaboration and service delivery.

About 9,000 of approximately 23,000 AUPE members participated in the hybrid arrangement.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson