Public service employment has grown by 31 per cent

[Humphrey Bogart]

Here's a viable career option no one ever acknowledges

David Sovka: Why quiet quitting is better than starting a new career​

Starting a new career requires you to pretend you have a lot more enthusiasm than aspirin and scotch provides, and also to lie theatrically on a newly made-up résumé.

Today, strategic human resource professionals have to be on the lookout for employees who engage in a relatively new workplace trend called “quiet quitting.”

This is when employees only do the minimum requirements of their jobs, without working unpaid overtime or going above and beyond like we all did in the 1990s. Remember the 1990s, when AI was just a made-up threat in science-fiction movies, not a real threat to people’s jobs and the economy? I’M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.

Practitioners of quiet quitting say they are setting boundaries to prevent burnout and combat “hustle culture,” which is the belief that relentless work, long hours and prioritizing professional achievement is worth it, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Sometimes it’s described as “acting your wage,” and sometimes as “acting like dirty commies,” depending on your perspective.

I would like to recommend quiet quitting over starting a new career, which requires you to pretend you have a lot more enthusiasm than aspirin and scotch provides, and also to lie theatrically on a newly made-up résumé.

I have been quiet quitting for years. This comes out in various ways, such as giggling when my manager says: “I want you to own your projects,” and never walking all the way to the staff washroom when Colin’s office plant is right there, looking thirsty.

https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/david-sovka-why-quiet-quitting-is-better-than-starting-a-new-career-12339512

I don't see the issue. If employers want more, then pay more.

This!

I've lived this now a few times. Putting in a high level of discretionary effort is a recipe for getting taken advantage of. You end up becoming the fallback guy for every issue and instead of fixing the mechanism or process, they just call you.

It also prevents you from advancing your career because you become TOO GOOD at your job. I had this happen in my last position. I actually was blocked from moving to another department for a higher range position that I had interviewed for because my department wouldn't allow me to be released for operational reasons.

I was warned about this by some colleagues who said "they are never going to let you leave, you're too skilled at the job and it would be easier for you to quit and apply six month later than it would be for you to lateral".

I ended up doing a lateral a year later after a very matter of fact conversation with upper management and secured a far larger compensation package, but I am doing the same role, just getting paid way more. I also get more time off.

The private sector isn't like the public sector or military. Compensation packages are individually negotiated. You could have people in the same office doing the exact same jobs with the exact same title and one person makes $50,000 more than the other guy next to them.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The private sector isn't like the public sector or military. Compensation packages are individually negotiated. You could have people in the same office doing the exact same jobs with the exact same title and one person makes $50,000 more than the other guy next to them.

But, like the military, profound incompetence is sometimes richly rewarded

 

[mariomike]

Blue collar kills, it is the main reason why ‘women live longer than men’.

The amount of people I have known in the trades who have died of cancer or are dying of it and some don’t live the ‘hard’ lifestyle speaks for itself. These aren’t even that old guys, 50s, 60s, early 70s.

I've been going to a lot of our pensioner funerals.

Today, I love every one of them. Probably for the most selfish reason of all, we were young together. < smile emoji

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

But, like the military, profound incompetence is sometimes richly rewarded

Oh yah!

Useful idiots! There are some that hold a position merely to serve as a paid punching bag for their superiors!!

They generally don't get listened to by anyone and senior management doesn't even call them when there is an issue. It's actually funny to watch

Paid stooges is what they are.

 

[Eaglelord17]

The private sector isn't like the public sector or military. Compensation packages are individually negotiated. You could have people in the same office doing the exact same jobs with the exact same title and one person makes $50,000 more than the other guy next to them.

Compensation packages are sometimes individually negotiated, sometimes collectively.

Competency is sometimes rewarded, sometimes punished, but the myth that if you always work hard it works in your favour is a lie.

Generally it has worked in my favour, particularly right now when I am possibly looking at switching workplaces (reputation proceeds me), however where I am currently it just means I get the more difficult jobs and relied upon more for no extra pay or compensation.

Like everything depends on the workforce, unionized or not, good corporate culture or not, etc. everything comes with pros and cons.

One bad boss can make the best job on paper the worst place to be.

 

[mariomike]

Today, strategic human resource professionals have to be on the lookout for employees who engage in a relatively new workplace trend called “quiet quitting.”

Sometimes it’s described as “acting your wage,” and sometimes as “acting like dirty commies,” depending on your perspective.

We called it, "self preservation".

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Compensation packages are sometimes individually negotiated, sometimes collectively.

Competency is sometimes rewarded, sometimes punished, but the myth that if you always work hard it works in your favour is a lie.

Generally it has worked in my favour, particularly right now when I am possibly looking at switching workplaces (reputation proceeds me), however where I am currently it just means I get the more difficult jobs and relied upon more for no extra pay or compensation.

Like everything depends on the workforce, unionized or not, good corporate culture or not, etc. everything comes with pros and cons.

One bad boss can make the best job on paper the worst place to be.

I am of course talking about non-unionized employment.

We have a mix of unionized and non-unionized employees. I barely consider Unionized employees to be Company employees. The way some Unions act, they are more like private contractors/mercenaries that we pay to operate equipment we happen to own.

 

[ArmyRick]

Blue collar kills, it is the main reason why ‘women live longer than men’.

The amount of people I have known in the trades who have died of cancer or are dying of it and some don’t live the ‘hard’ lifestyle speaks for itself. These aren’t even that old guys, 50s, 60s, early 70s.

Sort of yes, sort of no.

My step father is 85 this year and was a plumber for 30 years after working construction and Navy. He is fully retired now as his back can not handle any labour at all.

My father is slowly dying of cancer at 84 and he was a mechanic and auto scrap business owner, who drank hard for 35 years.

My immigrant father in law was a steel worker and then business owner of steel working (did lots of hands on), is still going at 79 and a lifetime of hard drinking.

I have known many other trades people (tend to be the people I hang out with) and I think there is some mind sets that come into play such as being too busy and driven to take time for medical check ups, rarely take relaxation time (this is a big deal, a body full of cortisol all the time is a deadly recipe) and I will admit, the vast majority I know drink, to some extent or another.

I think looking at lifestyle choices and stress coping mechanism is important.

 

[mariomike]

Like everything depends on the workforce, unionized or not, good corporate culture or not, etc. everything comes with pros and cons.

All I know about union vs non-union is I remember our Department fire as many as ten of our management people in a single day.

Not laid off. Terminated.

Nothing personal. Just business. They were over-budget .

Happened pretty regularly. But, ten in one day was a staggering number.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Sort of yes, sort of no.

My step father is 85 this year and was a plumber for 30 years after working construction and Navy. He is fully retired now as his back can not handle any labour at all.

My father is slowly dying of cancer at 84 and he was a mechanic and auto scrap business owner, who drank hard for 35 years.

My immigrant father in law was a steel worker and then business owner of steel working (did lots of hands on), is still going at 79 and a lifetime of hard drinking.

I have known many other trades people (tend to be the people I hang out with) and I think there is some mind sets that come into play such as being too busy and driven to take time for medical check ups, rarely take relaxation time (this is a big deal, a body full of cortisol all the time is a deadly recipe) and I will admit, the vast majority I know drink, to some extent or another.

I think looking at lifestyle choices and stress coping mechanism is important.

Yes but I know tradesmen who didn’t drink, party, or get too stressed out from work and are now dead and buried well below the national average life expectancy.

Just because some live a long life doesn’t mean the average blue collar worker doesn’t live a shorter one. Doctors for example live above the average life expectancy and have virtually no difference between the sexes. They also work in a clean environment which isn’t physically demanding on them.

Cancers, physical injuries, high stress environments, etc. all lead to shorter lives than many white collar jobs.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Meanwhile, rejoice, early retirement approvals raining down upon the masses ...

Thousands of federal public servants approved for early retirement​

Approximately 2,800 federal public servants have been approved for an early retirement package as part of the federal government’s plan to trim the size of the public service by 2029.

The government launched the Early Retirement Incentive program earlier this spring, inviting eligible public servants to apply to retire with an “immediate pension based on years of service, with no reduction for retiring early.”

Last December, approximately 68,000 public servants received notices informing them they could be eligible for early retirement.

According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s website, 6,797 public servants have applied for the Early Retirement Incentive as of May 26.

A government official tells CTV News Ottawa deputy heads have certified 2,779 early retirement packages so far.

Public servants have until July 24 to apply for the Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) program. Any public servant approved for the early retirement incentive package must retire by Jan. 20, 2027.

The Canada Strong Budget 2025, released in November, outlined a plan to cut the size of the federal public service by 28,000 positions by 2029, including 12,000 employees and 350 executive positions cut through attrition and early retirement packages.

Front-line officers and staff in operational roles at the Canada Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Communications Security Establishment Canada are not eligible for the early retirement incentive.

Both the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada have filed a policy grievance over the early retirement incentive program. PIPSC said the program “violates consultation obligations and undermines collective agreement protections.”

A total of 24,393 public servants and 1,059 executives in the core public service have also received notices their jobs may be affected as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review. The government plans to cut 16,000 jobs through the review by 2029.

Thousands of federal public servants approved for early retirement

Approximately 2,800 federal public servants have been approved for an early retirement package as part of the federal government’s plan to trim the size of the public service by 2029.

www.cp24.com

 

[dapaterson]

ERI is a win win win that the unions refuse to accept as a win.

It lets the GoC shed personnel, it lets employees retire earlier without pension penalties, and it draws down an unpermitted actuarial surplus in the PS pension plan.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Yes but I know tradesmen who didn’t drink, party, or get too stressed out from work and are now dead and buried well below the national average life expectancy.

Just because some live a long life doesn’t mean the average blue collar worker doesn’t live a shorter one. Doctors for example live above the average life expectancy and have virtually no difference between the sexes. They also work in a clean environment which isn’t physically demanding on them.

Cancers, physical injuries, high stress environments, etc. all lead to shorter lives than many white collar jobs.

Well, if the Doctors 'practice what they preach' - don't smoke, don't consume lot's of alcohol, exercise regularly, eat 'healthy', get proper sleep and rest, take regular vacations to relax - then I'm not surprised that there is little to no difference in the average life span between men and women.

And their 'environment' might be 'clean' by some definitions, but being around your patient population that routinely goes to see you when they have a cold, sickness, infection, disease, mental health affliction, drug addiction or whatever, does tend to add up after days, weeks, months, years, decades of exposure......

 

[Colin Parkinson]

ERI is a win win win that the unions refuse to accept as a win.

It lets the GoC shed personnel, it lets employees retire earlier without pension penalties, and it draws down an unpermitted actuarial surplus in the PS pension plan.

The big issue is those people may also be the holders of much of the corporate knowledge and some of the most productive workers.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The big issue is those people may also be the holders of much of the corporate knowledge and some of the most productive workers.

Don't worry, the Big 4 are hiring

 

[Navy_Pete]

Blue collar kills, it is the main reason why ‘women live longer than men’.

The amount of people I have known in the trades who have died of cancer or are dying of it and some don’t live the ‘hard’ lifestyle speaks for itself. These aren’t even that old guys, 50s, 60s, early 70s.

Some places openly acknowledge that; people that worked at the coke ovens in Stelco got extra time towards their pension (maybe 1.5 years per year) so they could retire earlier, on the assumption the job took years off their lives (which was valid).

The other sad bit though is there are also a lot of spouses and family members of some trades that also die from things like mesotheolomia and cancers because it comes home on people's clothing (even if you shower at work). One of the sadder things from my childhood was an old guy who smoked like a chimney, retired as a pipefitter after 40 years or something, then watched his wife slowly die from mesotheolomia from the asbestos he carried home inadvertently. It was a brutal way for her to go, and then he drank himself to death in short order out of guilt.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Some places openly acknowledge that; people that worked at the coke ovens in Stelco got extra time towards their pension (maybe 1.5 years per year) so they could retire earlier, on the assumption the job took years off their lives (which was valid).

The other sad bit though is there are also a lot of spouses and family members of some trades that also die from things like mesotheolomia and cancers because it comes home on people's clothing (even if you shower at work). One of the sadder things from my childhood was an old guy who smoked like a chimney, retired as a pipefitter after 40 years or something, then watched his wife slowly die from mesotheolomia from the asbestos he carried home inadvertently. It was a brutal way for her to go, and then he drank himself to death in short order out of guilt.

People shouldn't be dying or selling off years of their lives for their employers. I can see the irony in saying that as a CAF member, but that worker at Stelco or in mines has a much worse job than me IMHO.

 

[Eaglelord17]

People shouldn't be dying or selling off years of their lives for their employers. I can see the irony in saying that as a CAF member, but that worker at Stelco or in mines has a much worse job than me IMHO.

Someone has to do it at the end of the day. If people stopped doing the dangerous or long term hazardous jobs to your health then society would cease to exist.

I know guys who worked in the coke ovens at Algoma, they also loved the work because even though it was a pretty hazardous to your health job, their bosses only made them work the minimum amount required so most their 12 hour shift was sitting around getting paid to watch tv.

It also isn’t as bad as the old days because now there is respirators and such where before they would have just been out there with maybe a cigarette filter between them and the cancers.

 

[mariomike]

Some places openly acknowledge that; people that worked at the coke ovens in Stelco got extra time towards their pension (maybe 1.5 years per year) so they could retire earlier, on the assumption the job took years off their lives (which was valid).

Someone has to do it at the end of the day. If people stopped doing the dangerous or long term hazardous jobs to your health then society would cease to exist.

In Ontario emergency services ,

The OMERS Supplemental Pension Plan for police, firefighters and paramedics offers optional benefits for members of the police sector, firefighters and paramedics.

https://e-access.omers.com/content/administering-the-plan/supplemental-plan

 

[Halifax Tar]

Someone has to do it at the end of the day. If people stopped doing the dangerous or long term hazardous jobs to your health then society would cease to exist.

Respectfully I think that's overly dramatic. Perhaps these are jobs more fitted to robotics and machinery than people.

If robots can build cars and make me a coffee they should be able to do these jobs. Or pay the human exorbitant amounts of money to damage their health like this.

I know guys who worked in the coke ovens at Algoma, they also loved the work because even though it was a pretty hazardous to your health job, their bosses only made them work the minimum amount required so most their 12 hour shift was sitting around getting paid to watch tv.

It also isn’t as bad as the old days because now there is respirators and such where before they would have just been out there with maybe a cigarette filter between them and the cancers.

So its not as bad now is what you're saying ? And the health risks are minimalized ?