On Monday, federal public servants will return to the office a minimum of three days a week香蕉视频直播� if grudgingly.

Public service unions will start the week with an early-morning rally opposing the policy. But despite the unions香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播渟ummer of discontent香蕉视频直播� and an ongoing court challenge, the new rules will still kick in on Sept. 9.

The unions are pledging to keep fighting, even as they acknowledge it will take time.

香蕉视频直播淲e may not win this tomorrow. We may not win this next week. But if we continue to fight, this is the new future of work for federal public servants and for workers everywhere,香蕉视频直播� Jennifer Carr, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, told an earlier rally on Thursday.

Ottawa announced the policy, which also stipulates that executives will have to be in the office at least four days a week, in May. The unions responded by pledging a 香蕉视频直播渟ummer of discontent.香蕉视频直播�

That included moves by the Public Service Alliance of Canada to file unfair labour practice complaints and policy grievances, as well a Federal Court application. Just before the Labour Day weekend, Federal Court agreed to hear the case.

That decision by the court 香蕉视频直播渄oes not affect the decision on increased in-person presence,香蕉视频直播� the Treasury Board said in a statement, noting both parties will have a chance to present their arguments to the court.

Treasury Board President Anita Anand has maintained Ottawa has the jurisdiction to make the changes and hybrid work arrangements aren香蕉视频直播檛 in the collective agreements with the unions.

Previously, most federal public servants had to be in the office at least two days a week. Those rules were put in place March 2023, two years after people began working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the union pledges to fight the new rules, public servants will have to abide by them. 香蕉视频直播淭he rule from a union is always obey and then grieve,香蕉视频直播� Carr said in an interview.

Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, declined to specify the exact tactics the unions will urge members to use, but said it could include petitions demanding an exemption from the policy and moves to exploit contradictions in various government policies.

One of the concerns the unions have flagged is that there won香蕉视频直播檛 be enough space for everyone in the office, saying workers already struggle to find available desks and meeting rooms.

In a statement, Public Services and Procurement Canada said it is working with federal departments and agencies to ensure sufficient office space is provided.

Alex Silas, national executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, predicted 香蕉视频直播渁 lot of chaos on Monday.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 think a lot of people are unfortunately going to be showing up to offices that aren香蕉视频直播檛 ready to accommodate that return,香蕉视频直播� either because the offices themselves won香蕉视频直播檛 be ready or because there香蕉视频直播檚 just not enough space for everyone to work.

The federal government said in this year香蕉视频直播檚 federal budget it plans to cut its office portfolio in half and turn 香蕉视频直播渧acant government offices香蕉视频直播� into housing.

Silas argued when it comes to 香蕉视频直播渇orcing people back to the office while also planning to convert some of those offices, there香蕉视频直播檚 a dissonance there. Those plans don香蕉视频直播檛 work together.香蕉视频直播�

Unions are also flagging concerns about transportation, given Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 public transit system recently announced service cuts during non-peak hours.

香蕉视频直播淢ost federal public servants living in the Ottawa area in particular don香蕉视频直播檛 trust that the transit system here is credible,香蕉视频直播� Prior said.

Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 rally featured bumper stickers saying: 香蕉视频直播淪orry about the traffic, I have to commute to a video call.香蕉视频直播�

Carr said it香蕉视频直播檚 going to 香蕉视频直播渢ake people longer to get to work香蕉视频直播�imagine that you have all this turmoil that香蕉视频直播檚 happened before you get to the office, and then you sit at the office and do exactly the same thing you could have done from home. It香蕉视频直播檚 just going to breed resentment and anger.香蕉视频直播�

Pat Scrimgeour, director of transit customer systems and planning, said the city香蕉视频直播檚 public transit system can handle the increase.

香蕉视频直播淭here is sufficient capacity on the O-Train and bus network to support public servants as they return to the office more often. We will continue to monitor ridership demand in case there is any location or time when ridership increases more than we expect,香蕉视频直播� he said in a statement.

A date for when the court case will be heard has not yet been set. Silas said the union is looking forward to 香蕉视频直播渇inally hearing from the employer as to the reasoning for this return to office policy.香蕉视频直播�

Ultimately, the issue may end up in collective bargaining negotiations. Silas pointed out PSAC香蕉视频直播檚 next round of bargaining with the Treasury Board starts in 2025.

香蕉视频直播淚f this doesn香蕉视频直播檛 get resolved willingly by the federal government, if they don香蕉视频直播檛 come to the light on their own terms and see the positives about remote work, then this will certainly continue to be a priority for us in bargaining.香蕉视频直播�

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press