Public servants, backed by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), held a rally in downtown Ottawa to protest the federal government’s requirement for a mandatory three-day return to office (RTO). The demonstration, organized in collaboration with other public sector unions, took place at the corner of Laurier Avenue and Bank Street.
The rally comes in response to the Treasury Board’s directive mandating in-office work for three days a week, a policy that PIPSC President Jenn Carr says lacks sufficient data to justify its implementation.
“PIPSC represents some of the most data-driven professionals in Canada. So when the government makes a sweeping decision like this without solid data to back it up, we have to ask: what’s really driving this?” said Carr during the event.
A recent survey conducted by PIPSC, which represents over 75,000 professionals across the federal public service, including scientists, engineers, and healthcare workers, raised significant concerns about how the policy would disproportionately affect certain groups. The survey indicated that women, persons with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ2S+ and racialized communities would face greater challenges under the new mandate.
Women surveyed expressed concern about balancing work and personal responsibilities, while persons with disabilities reported being more than twice as likely to struggle with managing accommodations under the policy. Additionally, a notable portion of LGBTQ2S+ and racialized workers indicated that they might consider leaving their positions due to the new requirements.
“The government claims to care about growing a diverse workforce,” Carr said. “But our recent survey shows this mandate will hit our most vulnerable members the hardest.”
PIPSC argues that the return-to-office mandate undermines the progress made in recent years, when flexible work arrangements were widely adopted during the pandemic. According to Carr, these arrangements have proven effective in maintaining productivity while supporting a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
“This ill-informed, one-size rejection of presence with purpose will limit our ability to continue to attract and retain the best and brightest from coast to coast to coast,” she said.
PIPSC is calling on the government to provide clear, data-driven reasoning for the mandate and to consider more flexible work options that take individual needs into account. Without these changes, Carr warned, the policy risks damaging employee well-being and retention, particularly among diverse groups.
“A policy that threatens to push out diverse talent, worsen mental health, and make life more difficult for those already struggling,” Carr said. “And for what? A solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.”