Half of public sector union members say they support new federal return-to-the-workplace policy

Most Canadians still share this belief as PSAC threatens to see more labor unrest over its new remote work policy. Three-quarters (75%) say federal government workers have better working conditions than others, including at least seven in 10 CPC (86%), Liberal (73%), NDP (70%) and Bloc Québécois (70%) voters ):

Part two: How to respond to the “summer of discontent”?

PSAC’s ‘summer of discontent’ in response to the federal government’s new remote work policy includes legal challenges and complaints, and calls the issue a “critical issue” in negotiations between the government and the 9,000 Canada Border Services workers who could potentially go on strike this summer.

Union members are more likely to say the government should back off

Respondents were asked how the federal government should respond in the event of service disruptions at the border. Half of Canadians say the federal government should continue making changes, even if it means a labor action at the border. One-third prefer the federal government to step down.

More than two in five (45%) Canadians working in public sector unions say the government should change new policies in the event of union dissatisfaction, while more than a third (36%) of this group believe the government should continue to hold its new remote work policy:

Half (52%) of likely NDP voters say the federal government should withdraw its updated remote work policy if there is union dissatisfaction. This is the only group of likely voters to say this at the majority level. Current CPC supporters are most likely to want the federal government to stick to its policies, with two-thirds (66%) saying the federal government should ignore dissatisfaction and push through:

Part three: The element of Ottawa

In March, before the federal government announced a revised remote work policy, Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged federal workers to return to their downtown Ottawa offices to help revive businesses that have suffered due to the silence in office buildings. The federal government employs more people than anyone else in the capital region, which includes Ottawa, Gatineau and other nearby communities.

To analyze Ottawa residents’ views on this topic, the Angus Reid Institute included an additional sample of 156 working-age people living in Ottawa. Of this group, half say they work in the public sector and over two fifths (43%) say they belong to a trade union (see detailed tables).

Greater opposition in the capital to the remote work policy

Opposition to the federal government’s new remote work policy is greater in Ottawa than elsewhere in the country. A majority (57%) of workers in Ottawa are against it, while a third are in favor (33%):

Most say federal workers are not responsible for revitalizing downtown businesses

The idea that federal government employees should be called into the office more often to help struggling downtown Ottawa businesses has been met with resistance from some government officials. One said workers were “treated like a wallet to start supporting downtown Ottawa.”

Those closest to downtown Ottawa are more likely to say federal government employees should not be forced to return to work in order to boost economic activity downtown. In fact, as many as half (53%) of working-age adults living in Ottawa strongly agree that it is not the responsibility of federal government employees, while another three in ten agree (28%):

Methodology

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey May 16-21, 2024 among a representative, random sample of 1,751 adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparative purposes only, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

ARI also examined an additional sample of 156 adults aged 18 to 64 in Ottawa from May 16–21, 2024.

Any discrepancies in or between total amounts are due to rounding. The survey was commissioned for our own needs and paid for by ARI. Detailed tables are provided at the end of this issue.

For detailed results by age, gender, region, education and other demographics, click here.

For detailed results by employment status and other crosstabs, click here.

To view the questionnaire, click here.

To view the full report, including methodology, click here