Recap: OPSEU/SEFPO Ontario Public Service Workers take their fight against the Return-to-Office Mandate to the steps of the labour board ahead of mediation in Toronto

On Friday, January 23^rd, OPSEU/SEFPO members in the Ontario Public Service kicked off their RTO mandate challenge with a rally outside the Ontario Labour Relations Board in downtown Toronto. Joined by fellow OPSEU/SEFPO members, leaders and labour allies, over 100 workers braved the bitter cold to send the government a clear message – Keep hybrid work in the OPS!The power and solidarity demonstrated today is a clear display of the unwavering resolve of OPS members fighting against the government’s return-to-office mandate – a policy imposed without evidence or meaningful consultation with the workers it impacts. It marked a significant milestone for workers fighting for their right to bargain their working conditions without having them unilaterally imposed on them by a power-hungry government – and this is just the beginning.“Let’s be clear about something, remote work is not a perk, it’s not something this government gets to give or take away whenever they feel like it. These rights are already in our collective agreement, they’ve been there for almost two decades, long before the pandemic. We already negotiated them, we already fought for them, we already won them! So this isn’t about asking for something new, it’s about defending what already belongs to workers.”  – Amanda Usher, Chair, OPS Unified Central Employee Relations Committee (CERC), Chair, OPS       Unified Bargaining Team“This fight is about fairness, evidence and common sense – hope won’t protect our rights, but action will.”  – Mark Sonnenberg, OPS Unified Member, LERC Co-Chair, Local 580

Media Coverage

‘Chained to a desk’: Dozens of OPS workers rally against Ford’s five-day office order – CTV News

Ontario public servants protest against five-day office order – CP24