Federal Speech from the Throne (SFT) 2013

[ARMY_101]

True but what I mean is stories I've heard of civil servants changing departments like every six months, and not doing work as to leave it for who ever takes their position. I can't do a trade transfer every six months, why the heck should a civi freely move departments if there is no need for them to be moved? and leave work not done cause they don't want to do it. makes the system longer, god knows how long waits already are for services with VAC and such, but CRA is surprisingly fast when they want my money

The civil service is competition-based: you can't move up the ladder unless you "win" a competition for a more senior role and are subsequently trained for that role. So if moving up the ladder entails changing departments every once in a while, why not?

See also http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/prg/iec-eng.asp, which actually encourages rotations between multiple organizations for professional development and growth.

 

[ARMY_101]

There is, actually, some substance hidden in the Throne Speech: a promise (for what that's worth) to stabilize and then shrink government.

+1

There was ample substance and new policies not previously announced.  Life means life, balanced budget legislation, income splitting for couples once the budget is balanced, cyber bullying legislation, cutting red tape for small businesses...

 

[George Wallace]

The civil service is competition-based: you can't move up the ladder unless you "win" a competition for a more senior role and are subsequently trained for that role. So if moving up the ladder entails changing departments every once in a while, why not?

See also http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/prg/iec-eng.asp, which actually encourages rotations between multiple organizations for professional development and growth.

Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  The Public Service is a very wide ranging 'organization'.  The skill sets one requires for one Department, don't necessarily make you a prime candidate in another Department.  For you Army Guys; would you take a MSE OP WO and put him into an Infantry Platoon WO job?

 

[The Bread Guy]

True but what I mean is stories I've heard of civil servants changing departments like every six months, and not doing work as to leave it for who ever takes their position. I can't do a trade transfer every six months, why the heck should a civi freely move departments if there is no need for them to be moved? and leave work not done cause they don't want to do it.

And what if you, as a soldier, worked in a system where you could only get short-term periods of employment, with no guarantee of future employment, by moving from unit to unit?  And you decided to work from contract/term to contract/term because you couldn't get a full-time position?  How would that look from the outside looking in?

....there are many in the public service who are happy where they are and will never apply for anything higher ... they will just stick to where they are at.

In the regional office I work in, there are folks with +20 years in, and we've had very little turnover (Workforce Adjustment/Deficit Reduction Action Plan cuts notwithstanding) in the 10 years I've been in.

Bling & ribbons!  What else matters? 

:nod:

 

[ARMY_101]

Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  The Public Service is a very wide ranging 'organization'.  The skill sets one requires for one Department, don't necessarily make you a prime candidate in another Department.  For you Army Guys; would you take a MSE OP WO and put him into an Infantry Platoon WO job?

I agree, but that's up for the competition process to decide.

 

[pbi]

We should be cautious about enjoying the sufferings of the Public Service. As has already been posted here, some of the things we take (or, in my case, "took...") for granted as conditions of CF service were gained by linking our pay and benefits to those for the PS, decades ago.

If the CF were happy to take the goodies that came from that linkage (and they were), they will be less than honest if they aren't prepared to take the cutbacks as well.

What I would be on watch for is slippage by the Govt from reasonable fiscal and managerial prudence in reforming the PS down the slope into populist, jealousy-fuelled  demonization of all PS as lazy layabouts who have cushy jobs and don't do anything for Canadians.

We might just feel the burst radius of that type of thinking in ways we can't quite see yet.