Doug Ford has already eliminated 2500 positions in the public service

And this figure could grow over the next few months.

In addition to ordering a hiring freeze in the public sector at the very beginning of its mandate, the Ford government has made it its mission to reduce the size of the public service without layoffs - either by attrition or voluntary departures.

In December, the province expanded its two voluntary departure programs to allow non-union managers and non-union staff to benefit until the end of February.

The government is reviewing these requests and the total number of voluntary separations has yet to be finalized, the Treasury Board, which administers the compensation of public servants and oversees labor relations, is e-mailed.

Staffing decisions will be made so that essential services provided to Ontarians are not compromised. Peter Bethlenfalvy, President of the Treasury Board

The Treasury Board did not specify how much money would be spent on voluntary redundancy offers or the expected savings in payroll reductions.

Unions worried

Unions representing public servants fear that their already overburdened members will be pushed beyond their capacity.

Dave Bulmer, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Association of Management, Administrative and Crown Employees( AMAPCEO Ontario Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Employees), says his remaining members will have to recover this important workload.

We know what it means: fewer quality services for the public and more stress, illness and hardship for employees , he says.

The CEO of AMAPCEO Ontario Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Employeesadds that per capita public service funding in Ontario is already at the lowest level in the country.

The Union of Ontario Public Service Employees ( OPSEU Union of Ontario Public Service Employees) believes that work will continue to be done through private sector consultants, a practice that the Auditor General criticized sharply in his latest report.

There will be a big impact at the front line level. Warren 'Smokey' Thomas, President of OPSEU

Delays in obtaining your birth certificate, driver's license, slower service at Service Ontario branches, fewer employees [...] for water treatment, highway repairs, apportioning of calls 911, fire departments in the north of the province, and so on , "says Thomas.

After calling for a meeting with the Prime Minister several times, the OPSEU President's Union of Ontario Public Service Employeeshopes to sensitize Conservative backbenchers about the effects of cutbacks in their ridings.

For its part, the government intends to continue offering its two voluntary departure programs to unionized employees until the end of the year.

These incentives give employees the choice and flexibility to make their own career decisions, while allowing the government to modernize and reallocate its resources where it is needed most , says Treasury Board.