February 5, 2026 – The government announced today its plan to once again force non-executive federal workers back into the office four days a week despite the mandate’s wide unpopularity amongst employees and right in the midst of massive and catastrophic job cuts.
“This announcement demonstrates that this government has both a willful disregard for reality and absolute contempt for its employees and taxpayers,” said CAPE President Nathan Prier. “As thousands of public servants are watching their jobs disappear and Canadians are watching health and other programs get gutted, this government is committing to making public servants less productive while wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money. If workers needed another sign that this government can’t be trusted, this is it.”
This announcement comes on the heels of a recent ruling by the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board that telework can be negotiated at the bargaining table. As CAPE and other bargaining units begin new contract negotiations this year, this sets the stage for completely avoidable conflict.
Unions were caught off guard, after pushing the government for a clear answer on whether or not a new return-to-office mandate was coming, since the fall of 2025. At the time, the Treasury Board indicated that no new announcement was planned. This lack of good faith engagement on an issue of workplace productivity and government efficiency is part of a larger pattern of disrespect for workers and taxpayers.
Federal employees have been calling for increased remote work flexibility for years, as public servants have proven to be more productive when teleworking. CAPE and other unions have also continued to urge the government to find cost-savings by divesting its real estate portfolio and allowing unnecessary office buildings to be transformed into much-needed housing. Instead, the government has insisted on massive cuts to health and other essential services that Canadians depend on.
CAPE will continue to push for common sense when it comes to remote work – that means granting full telework rights for every employee who can and wants to work remotely. These are rights that our members – and all public servants – are committed to winning at the bargaining table.
