Union threatens legal action as feds increase public servants’ in-office time

PSAC workers walk the picket line out front of His Majestys Canadian Dockyard in Esquimalt, B.C., on Friday, April 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

OTTAWA — Canada’s largest federal public sector union has filed several unfair labour practice complaints - and another union is warning of a possible strike - as the government moves to increase public servants’ in-office time.

The federal government is ordering public servants to be in the office at least four days a week starting in July, while executives are expected to return to the office full-time in May.

Sharon DeSousa, national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, said the union has filed five unfair labour practice complaints with the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board in response to the government’s decision.

“We’re currently in bargaining and the employer is trying to change the working conditions of our members, which is against the law,” DeSousa said.

A statement from the union released Thursday said it would fight the decision “every step of the way.”

“I am hoping the government of Canada understands that they are not above the law,” DeSousa said Friday. “Everything is on the table and we’re looking at what actions to take next.”

The federal directive applies to public servants working in the core departments and agencies under Treasury Board, though the Canada Revenue Agency has said already it intends to follow the same approach.

The Treasury Board said other federal agencies, like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, are “strongly encouraged” to follow the same rules.

Adam Blondin, a spokesperson for the Canada Revenue Agency, said in an email Friday the CRA is reviewing how the requirement will be implemented across its workforce.

Remote work rules have been an ongoing source of friction in the public service since COVID-19 forced most federal workers to work remotely in 2020.

After public health restrictions began to ease, the federal government moved in 2023 to have workers return to the office two to three days a week.

The current rule, in place since September 2024, requires public servants to work a minimum of three days a week in-office, with executives in office four days per week.

Thursday’s order updates that rule.

Other federal unions have said they’re also “not ruling anything out” when it comes to fighting for remote work.

Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said his union’s priority is to go into contract negotiations this summer “organized and ready to win” telework rights in its next collective agreement.

“We are not ruling anything out because we know that this is an issue that has a major impact, not only on the lives and working conditions of our members but also Canadian taxpayers,” said Prier. 

Sean O’Reilly, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, said the union is looking at all options to push back against the decision. He said those options include rallies or reaching out to members of Parliament.

O’Reilly said he’s still open to discussing in-office rules with the government but “it’s really hard not to escalate when the workers are ignored.”

As the union enters contract negotiations, O’Reilly said this decision might lead to a strike down the road.

“It wouldn’t be in the next couple of months, but it depends where those negotiations go. It depends on when we reach an impasse with the employer and then we’ll be reexamining our options,” he said.

Gilles LeVasseur, professor of management and law at the University of Ottawa, said conditions of work for employees is always under the authority of the employer.

“If they decide to bring people back four or five days in a given week, that is the prerogative of the employer,” he said. 

LeVasseur argued the union didn’t do its job properly when it had its chance to negotiate telework arrangements when many of its members were on strike in 2023. 

He added that the telework agreement made between the union and the government, which was made outside of the collective agreement, was too general. 

While the board may have recommendations for the government, LeVasseur said it’s unlikely it will override the government’s decision.

NDP member of Parliament Heather McPherson raised concerns about the timing of the decision Friday, pointing out that thousands of public servants are facing job cuts.

“It’s a bad choice by this government,” she said. “It’s one more indication that (Prime Minister) Mark Carney doesn’t actually care about the public servants that are running this country.” 

Departments and agencies across the public service have started notifying staff of coming job cuts as the government looks to cut program spending and administration costs by about $60 billion over the next five years through its “comprehensive expenditure review.”

The review will see the elimination of about 40,000 public service jobs — out of a peak workforce of 368,000 in 2023-24 — and of 1,000 executive positions over the next two years.

A government website providing data on workforce reductions in the core public service up to the end of January says it’s currently targeting a reduction of 8,230 employee positions and 425 executive positions across 24 departments through the workforce adjustment or career transition processes.

It says 15,755 employee positions and 642 executive positions will be eliminated, in part through attrition and vacated positions.

The federal government has not yet confirmed the number of jobs being eliminated for some departments.

Treasury Board said the government will engage with unions to implement the new return-to-office plan to work out things like assigned seating and occupational health and safety.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press