Bank of Canada faces criticism after telling workers to work from home during ongoing strike
The Bank of Canada is facing accusations of a workplace policy double standard after allowing the majority of its employees to work from home during an ongoing security guards' strike, according to a recent report.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the Bank of Canada's handling of remote work during the strike contradicts the rationale behind the Treasury Board's four-day in-office mandate, which took effect July 6 for the core federal public service, the Ottawa Citizen reported.
Ruth Lau MacDonald, PSAC's regional executive vice-president for the National Capital Region, characterized the situation as inconsistent federal messaging on flexible work. "What a rich tapestry of irony this whole RTO thing is; the government of Canada really endorsed remote work and flexible work arrangements when it suited them," she said.
MacDonald also said there was "no tangible community benefit" to the four-day in-office requirement, adding that the Bank of Canada's approach during the strike demonstrated that remote work remains a "lever" federal employers can pull selectively, noted the publication.
Strike details and worker concessions
The labour dispute has involved dozens of Bank of Canada security guards represented by PSAC and has been ongoing since June 23. The guards say they are resisting employer concessions, including reduced paternity leave entitlements and scheduling changes that could reduce overtime hours and affect work-life balance, according to the union.
Alex Silas, PSAC's national executive vice-president and a striking security guard, said the majority of Bank of Canada employees have worked remotely throughout the dispute, with only maintenance and essential staff remaining on-site. The Ottawa Citizen reported that it had independently observed little presence in and around the Bank of Canada's main office on Wellington Street during the labour dispute.
Speaking at a July 6 rally organized by the Canadian Association of Professional Employees against the Treasury Board's return-to-office mandate, Silas criticized the federal government's handling of the two concurrent situations. "[The Bank of Canada employees] working from home," showed, in his words, "that remote work works when employers want to do it," Silas said.
Bank of Canada's Response
The Bank of Canada declined to confirm whether a majority of its employees were working from home during the labour dispute, citing security reasons, according to Ottawa Citizen.
The bank said it continues to follow a hybrid work model requiring employees to be present in the office "a minimum of 12 days per month." The bank did not confirm whether this standard was being upheld during the ongoing strike, according to the report.
The Bank of Canada also said it has no current plans to adopt the Treasury Board's four-day in-office requirement, distinguishing its workplace policy from that of the core federal public service, which returned to the office four days a week beginning July 6.
The return-to-office policy remains outside the scope of collective bargaining, the Ottawa Citizen noted, leaving unions and public servants to challenge the directive through other channels.
Earlier this month, the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered the Bank of Canada to stop using contracted security staff and union members to perform jobs affected by the strike, ruling that the bank violated the Canada Labour Code during an ongoing strike.
Canada passed legislation in 2024 banning federally regulated employers from using replacement workers during a legal strike or lockout, with the rules taking effect in 2025.
