Federal union to hold townhall meetings to discuss job cuts, return to office mandate

A sign for the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in Ottawa on March 25, 2025. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

Canada’s largest public section union will hold virtual townhall meetings with its members next week to discuss layoffs in the federal public service and the return to office mandate.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has scheduled townhall meetings from March 23-25.

“This is your opportunity to ask questions, share concerns, and learn how we’re fighting back against public service cuts and the in-office mandate,” PSAC said on its website.

More than 26,000 federal public servants have received notices over the past three months that their jobs could be at risk as part of the federal government’s plan to cut the size of the federal public service by 28,000 positions by 2028.

The Canada Strong Budget 2025, released in November, outlined the federal government’s plan to reduce the size of the federal public service by 28,000 positions by 2029, with 16,000 full-time equivalent positions eliminated through the comprehensive expenditure review, while 12,000 positions, including 350 executive positions, will be eliminated mainly through attrition and early retirement packages.

PSAC says over 13,000 of its members have received workforce adjustment notices that their jobs could be cut.

“These cuts are part of the federal government’s plan to slash critical public services and eliminate 30,000 federal public service jobs over the next three years,” PSAC said.

“This ‘plan’ doesn’t just impact federal workers; it impacts all of us by threatening Canada’s economy and the wellbeing of its citizens.”

PSAC president Sharon DeSousa told a commons committee last week that federal workers deliver “critical supports millions of people rely on every day.”

“This work is at risk of being negatively impacted by the severe cuts by $56.7 billion from 2025 to 2029,” DeSousa said.

Speaking to the Government Operations and Estimates Committee, DeSousa noted federal departments didn’t have time “for proper research, consultations or assessments” before submitting information on the comprehensive expenditure review to the government.

“This government is choosing to cut public services first, then explain later. Cutting public services has impacts that will cost taxpayers more in the long term,” DeSousa said.

“Slower service delivery, reduced administrative capacity, and stalled progress on departmental and legal obligations, like the Pay Equity Act.”

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has also issued a new directive on in-office work. As of May 4, executives will be required to work onsite five days per week. All other federal employees in the core public service will need to be in the office for a minimum of four days per week, as of July 6.

Both PSAC and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada have filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board over the return to office mandate.

PSAC accuses the government of “disrespecting their protected bargaining rights” by introducing a new office mandate during contract talks.

“The government’s decision to force all workers into the office four days a week by July proves that this government isn’t focused on supporting workers or finding savings through any means other than recklessly cutting jobs,” PSAC said.

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