Our TC bargaining team met on January 20 and returned to the bargaining table with Treasury Board on January 21–22, 2026, to advance members’ priorities. 

The employer outright refused to discuss most of our proposals because they, and don’t fit within their newly invented bargaining framework. We reject this premise outright and strongly disagree with their position. 

By refusing to engage on priorities like job security, service levels, discrimination,  harassment, abuse of authority, technological change, artificial intelligence, surveillance, and remote work, the employer is making it clear that budget constraints and overall control matter more to them than the needs, safety, and working conditions of workers. These are real issues members face every day, and they belong at the bargaining table. 

Employer refuses to negotiate workforce adjustment 

As thousands of PSAC members are receiving workforce adjustment notices day after day, the employer refuses to negotiate ways to reduce the impact on members. Though they acknowledge that these are challenging times, it offers little comfort when they aren’t actually willing to discuss meaningful improvements to the workforce adjustment process. 

Our team has proposed cost-effective solutions, including maximizing remote work, which would help members stay employed while reducing disruption, office space requirements, and relocation costs. We’ve also tabled proposals to increase transparency and fairness, such as clear, equitable processes for  reasonable job offers. Though we have yet to receive a response, we’ll continue to push the employer to discuss these practical proposals that would make a real difference for members. 
 
More than 9,700 PSAC members have received workforce adjustment notices in the last year, including 6,900 this month alone. That doesn’t include the 5,500 term employees who were terminated early or not renewed. And with the government planning to cut 30,000 more jobs, we know many more members will be affected this year. 

Remote work back on the agenda 

Prime Minister Carney said he would consult unions in January and clarify changes to in-office guidelines after speaking to Ottawa’s business community in December. Though it has yet to actually happen, our team used the meeting to remind the employer that remote work is a priority for members , no changes are to be made under a statutory freeze, and the bargaining table is the perfect place for his consultation. 

Our proposal would make remote work fair, transparent, and employee-centred by requiring managers to genuinely consider each request on a case-by-case basis and prohibiting arbitrary caps. 

In a recent win for PSAC members at the Library of Parliament, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board ruled that the employer cannot avoid negotiating telework into the collective agreement. This could be a useful precedent as we continue to fight for remote work at the bargaining table and pushback against management control. 

Protecting members on the job 

In addition to wages and job security, we raised concerns about workplace protections. This includes strengthening harassment and discrimination language, recognizing abuse of authority as a form of harassment, and embedding clear definitions directly into the collective agreement. These measures would help create safer, more respectful workplaces and protect members from arbitrary or harmful practices. 

What comes next  

Our TC team meets with the employer again on March 11–12. We’ll continue to keep members informed as negotiations progress. Here’s how you can support our work now:   

Here’s how you can support your bargaining team:  

• Read the full proposals to find out exactly what we’re fighting for. 
• Get to know your bargaining team so you know who represents your interests.  
• Talk to your coworkers about what’s on the table and why it matters to you.  
• Get involved early by attending rallies, info pickets, lunch-and-learns, and mobilization events in your area.  
• Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest bargaining news as it happens.  
• Download bargaining graphics to show visible support at work and online.  

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