Union vows to keep fighting 4-day return-to-office mandate for federal public servants

A Government of Canada building is seen in this undated photo. (Getty Images)

A federal union is promising to continue challenging the return-to-office (RTO) mandate, as federal public servants prepare to spend at least four days a week in the office this summer.

Starting July 6, all non-executive employees in the core public service will be required to be in the office four days a week, up from the current mandate of three days a week. Executives have been required to be in the office five days a week since May 4 under the new policy from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

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Some federal departments have said they are delaying the return-to-office mandate due to a lack of space, including Global Affairs Canada, Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.

The president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) says he knows his members are “frustrated, disappointed, and angry” with the new mandate.

“This is not the outcome many of us were hoping for, and I understand why there are questions about whether enough was done to prevent it,” Sean O’Reilly said in a note posted on the PIPSC website.

“From the beginning, we opposed a one-size-fits-all return-to-office mandate and advocated for a presence-with-purpose approach based on operational need. That principle has guided our work across every available channel.”

Both PIPSC and the Public Service Alliance of Canada have filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board. PIPSC said its legal challenge was over the government’s decision to “change terms and conditions of employment” in the middle of contract negotiations.

O’Reilly says PIPSC has challenged the mandate through the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, advocated directly to ministers and senior government officials to “adopt a more evidence-based approach” and track the return-to-office implementation across departments and “documenting its real-world impacts.”

“Despite these efforts, we have been unable to stop RTO – but it doesn’t mean the fight is over. PIPSC will continue challenging this policy through legal, bargaining, public, and political channels,” O’Reilly said.

“As we move forward, the best opportunity to secure meaningful progress on RTO will be at the bargaining table. Success will depend on all of us. We encourage every member to participate in the bargaining process and support your bargaining team in the weeks and months ahead.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has said many departments and organizations “currently have sufficient space to accommodate the increase to on-site presence.” Deputy ministers have been granted authority to stagger the implementation schedule for the four-day office mandate “to match their workplace realities,” the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said on its website.

Delaying return-to-office mandate

Three federal departments have told CTV News Ottawa they will be delaying the four days a week return-to-office mandate due to a lack of office space – Global Affairs Canada, Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada.

The Department of National Defence has said workspace “may be limited” at certain buildings, and implementation of the four-day office mandate will be “managed by managers.”

Environment and Climate Change Canada said there are a “few locations” where a phased approach to the return-to-office mandate will be needed to accommodate staff, and employees have been notified.

Federal public servants have been required to be in the office a minimum of three days a week since September 2024.

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