TorontoA union that represents Ontario public servants is taking action against the Doug Ford government after it ordered provincial employees to return to the office four days a week this fall and five days a week next year.AMAPCEO says province failed to give proper notice about decision that will end remote workA drone image of the Ontario Legislative Assembly on May 20, 2022. (Yan Theoret/CBC/Radio-Canada)A union that represents Ontario public servants is taking action against the Doug Ford government after it ordered provincial employees to return to the office four days a week this fall and five days a week next year.AMAPCEO — Ontario’s Professional Employees, which represents more than 16,000 professional, administrative and supervisory employees in the Ontario Public Service, said the province failed to give the union enough notice of its decision. The union filed what is called a policy dispute on Tuesday, alleging the province violated its collective agreement.On Aug. 14, Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney announced that employees of the Ontario Public Service, provincial agencies, boards and commissions must “increase their attendance to four days per week,” starting Oct. 20, and transition to full-time hours effective Jan. 5, 2026.Dave Bulmer, president and CEO of AMAPCEO, said Thursday the decision was “really heavy handed” and the province could have consulted the unions that represent public servants first. There is also not enough office space to accommodate employees, he added.”Anytime the employer wants to do something that’s going to substantively impact the workplace, they have to give us a minimum of two weeks’ notice and that allows us to consult with them and to potentially impact what that change might be,” Bulmer said.”In this instance, we got about an hour’s notice. And so that’s a contravention of our collective agreement and we intend to defend our contract.”Dave Bulmer is president of AMAPCEO, the union that represents more than 16,000 professional, administrative and supervisory employees in the Ontario Public Service. (CBC)The decision is a change from a policy in place since April 2022, when provincial government employees were required to be in their offices at least three days per week. That means they have been working two days a week from home.”That’s become the new normal. Having that pulled out from underneath them is completely disruptive to their lives,” Bulmer said.Province reviewing office space to identify limitationsThe dispute comes amid news that the province is reviewing if it has enough office space for public servants to be in the office according to its announced schedule.Bulmer said the government released properties during the pandemic and will now have to buy or rent space for workers.Liz Tuomi, spokesperson for Mulroney, confirmed on Thursday that the government is looking at whether it needs additional space to accommodate the workers.The province has not yet responded to a request for comment about the policy dispute.To resolve the dispute, AMAPCEO has asked for an Aug. 14 memo issued by the province to be rescinded and for the employer to provide advance notice in keeping with the collective agreement.Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles says: ‘We want to make sure that the government has made a decision here that is based on reality and research and facts and that it’s going to deliver better service. And it’s pretty clear that once again, the premier is talking first and then thinking later.’ (Kate Bueckert/CBC)Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said on Thursday that the government should have thought about the space needed for workers in the office before ordering them back to work. She said when the government makes announcements without doing research, it’s not good government.”It’s going to mean we’re making bad, rash decisions not based on what’s actually going to provide the best service for Ontarians. And we know we have one of the best public services in the country. There’s a lot of people who provide a lot of really important services to Ontarians and we value that,” Stiles said.”We want to make sure that the government has made a decision here that is based on reality and research and facts and that it’s going to deliver better service. And it’s pretty clear that once again, the premier is talking first and then thinking later.”Workers ‘incensed’ by impending change, letter saysFive associations, representing more than 50,000 Ontario public servants, said in an Aug.15 letter to Michelle DiEmanuele, Secretary of the Cabinet, that their members are “incensed” with the decision.”Workplace flexibility has numerous benefits — higher worker morale and productivity, improved work/life balance, greater accessibility for workers of all ability, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved traffic congestion, and reduced pressure on our overtaxed public transit system,” the letter reads.”For over five years, our members have incorporated hybrid work and a balance of in-office and remote work into their professional lives while continuing to provide the exceptional standard of service the public has come to expect.”The letter says the decision is “akin to a return to the Stone Age” and asks for a meeting immediately to discuss the ramifications of the decision.With files from Kirthana Sasitharan, Shawn Jeffords and Mike Crawley
Union files dispute over Ontario government policy requiring workers back in office full-time
