QUEBEC CITY -- Working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic is generating a lot of stress and anxiety among workers in Quebec's public service, according to a new union survey.
Quebec's union of public employees, the Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Quebec (SFPQ), conducted a survey of its members, the results of which were obtained by The Canadian Press.
More than a third of public servants surveyed, or 37 percent, said they are experiencing more stress working remotely. Four in 10 respondents said they feel more isolated. In addition, 30 percent of them believe their professional autonomy has decreased.
In a telephone interview, the president of the SFPQ, Christian Daigle, said that part of the stress experienced by its members is likely linked to the conditions of self-isolation in place amid the pandemic.
He said his union is open to working remotely, but the framework for doing so needs to be better defined between employers and employees.
The survey was conducted in the past few days among 1,767 SFPQ members.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2020.
