In an appeal to state workers, Gov. Phil Scott released a video statement this week explaining his decision to institute a three-days-per-week return to office across state government.
“Vermonters want and need to access their government. They need to see us in their communities. They need to know where and how we work,” he said, recording from his office desk. “Most importantly, they want and need us to be good stewards of their tax dollars.”
For its part, the Vermont State Employees’ Association, the union representing state workers, has strongly opposed the move, and its president released a video of her own in response.
“You have excluded us from the conversation. You have shut us out of your secret committee that is meeting to work on a policy that will have devastating impacts on the delivery of vital services,” Aimee Bertrand said in her video message, referencing a cross-agency group Scott had empowered to plan the logistics of the switch. She recorded from her kitchen, where she said she works remotely every day.
The dueling videos reveal the high stakes of the new policy decision, which sent shockwaves across state government when Scott first announced his intention last month. Starting Dec. 1, state employees will be expected to work from their offices at least three days per week, a pivot for many who have grown accustomed to almost total flexibility to work from home.
Scott and his top deputies have said the decision is driven by a need to increase collaboration and transparency both between workers and with the public. The employees’ union has criticized the policy as arbitrary and running contrary to Vermont data indicating state employees highly value remote work and believe it positively impacts productivity.
Addressing state workers directly in a video was a rare step for Scott, who used the speech to stress that his choice was not a slight at the quality or commitment of Vermont’s workforce. He also noted that many state workers haven’t been able to work remotely at all.
“One of the things I’m most proud of as governor is the silos we’ve broken down between agencies and departments,” he said in his video statement released Monday. “But we’ve lost some of that camaraderie and collaboration because we don’t see each other in person.”
On Tuesday, Bertrand turned up the pressure, accusing Scott of “attempting to divide state workers and pit them against each other.”
She argued employees are safer when they don’t have to drive through storms or work in “poorly secured” state buildings, and that less travel time was an environmentally conscious decision.
“Polished videos are nice, but how ‘bout a real conversation?” Bertrand posed to Scott.
Scott’s administration has the power to alter employee telework agreements with two weeks notice, far less than the three month timeline laid out. Still, the three-month turnaround is a daunting logistical feat and questions linger about its rollout. Sarah Clark, Vermont’s administration secretary, said Wednesday that the hybrid return-to-office plan is taking up 99% of her focus.
Across the country, both private business and the public sector have grappled with bringing employees back to the office since Covid-19 brought a halt to some in-person work. In many states, governors’ efforts to bring back state workers, either part-time or full-time, have been met with aggressive union opposition — and mixed results.
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott first sought to end telework but then signed legislation bringing back the option. The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the state governor’s return to work order after a state employees’ union challenged it. And in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed for four days in office, his administration cut deals with employees’ unions to limit the mandate in exchange for salary concessions.
Shaun Robinson contributed reporting.
