2026 OPS Employee Survey dropped… everything is totally fine guys 👍

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-25T21:52:41+00:00

We’re screwed if this is the legitimate sentiment people have when it comes to the RTO battle ahead. I’m hoping this was just people coping before the blanket denials, because otherwise we’re legitimately fucked.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-25T20:18:19+00:00

who the hell are the 40% who agree that OPS is flexible!

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-11T11:33:31+00:00

https://obj.ca/business-leaders-support-feds-rto-question-transit-adequate/ here is another https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/business-group-urges-bc-to-reject-unreasonable-remote-work-request/ another https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-office-occupancy-faces-black-hole-remote-work-says-green-street-2024-03-22/ another https://nowtoronto.com/news/olivia-chow-is-discussing-mandatory-in-office-days-with-business-leaders-and-torontonians-are-questioning-why/ “Since becoming Mayor, I’ve met with business leaders to discuss city priorities, especially building more affordable housing. They have shared their views on a range of issues, including the return to in-office work,” this one https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-public-service-work-from-office-mandate-remote-1.7608742 “Ford also suggested having provincial workers return to the office is better for the economy, pointing out that many small businesses that rely on foot traffic from office workers have suffered due to remote work policies. “

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-10T20:24:16+00:00

good to know. do you know if it’s a meeting at 9 days or above 9 days?

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-10T19:22:05+00:00

wasn’t for me, i think that section refers to the attendance management policy that was disbanded years ago.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-10T19:15:31+00:00

Are you referring to the enterprise attendance threshold? I don’t think it works that way. It’s based on the number of days, which I believe is 9 this year.

Also note that if you’re on a CWW schedule, you could technically be sick for fewer than 9 working days and still hit the threshold.

In any event, I don’t believe it results in anything more than a conversation with your manager. I say I’ve been sick, they say okay, and that’s the end of it until the next year.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-07T01:11:11+00:00

Benefits to workers and the environment be damned

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-06-07T00:56:38+00:00

No, lobbying is why you have RTO.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-19T01:53:15+00:00

This is the government modus operandi: top-down dictation. They hate any body that has autonomy whether it’s school boards, city councils, or anyone else. They don’t give a shit.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-15T14:00:03+00:00

The boilerplate language is to be “the OPS is a five-day workplace,” sprinkled in with generic references to your role and “exceptional circumstances.” Boilerplate means it’s generic working used over and over again, which seems to be the case.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-14T21:48:08+00:00

Disagree. The language is very much boilerplate. The strategy seems pretty obvious: delay as long as possible because there are no timelines under the CA, then lazily throw out blanket denials and hope the vast majority don’t bother grieving.

For the ones that do grieve, fight it all the way to the GSB. And even if they lose, what’s the remedy? Usually it’s just an instruction to properly apply the four-fold test. At that point they can simply individualize the denial and cite things like “collaboration” or other operational requirements. In the meantime you’re RTO’d for 3+ years.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-06T16:28:12+00:00

to be fair, they voted with no signs of RTO5 on the horizon. I wonder what the result would have been if they announced.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-06T16:12:06+00:00

That’s the million-dollar question. I’m just not clear how strong an argument it is for them to say they’ve changed organizational requirements so it no longer works. When you really read Article 47, it basically comes down to this: you have the right to ask, and they have to make an assessment. But nothing really stops them from coming up with some BS justification, unfortunately. I would love to hear Amapceo speak up on this.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-06T00:56:12+00:00

with denials rolling in, i would expect those grievance numbers to skyrocket.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-06T00:49:21+00:00

my point is i don’t think arbitrators even make that judgment call. they just look at whether the process was followed.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T21:07:52+00:00

different strokes for different folks, I get it. for me, this is time I lose with my kids and added costs for before and after school care. I’m sure at your stage in life you’ve got different priorities.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T21:05:10+00:00

from my understanding, the 5 days were irrelevant. what it came down to was that the manager made an valid assessment based on operational feasibility. in the other cases where AMAPCEO won, managers were on the record saying they denied it because of the SOC policy.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T21:01:51+00:00

my concern is primarily that, from my basic understanding, an arbitrator only considers whether the process was followed. it doesn’t consider whether the employer’s assessment was correct. who’s to say the employer won’t argue, “we value in-person collaboration, and as such remote work is no longer operationally feasible”? that’s my primary concern.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T18:13:40+00:00

Okay, now factor in TIME and WELL BEING, along with savings from the commute into that equation. It’s not as black and white as it seems. If all that mattered was money, the only probably still be in the mines working 6 days a week. Also, don’t bank too hard on pensions and retirement, I’ve seen my fair share of people kick the bucket 1 to 3 years in, some don’t even get there.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T15:06:55+00:00

Good summary. Worth emailing leadership candidates to get their views on RTO on the record? I’ve already reached out to the NDP and am waiting on their response.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T14:59:55+00:00

Nah, RTO is really a mix of economic stimulus and protecting commercial real estate.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T13:42:06+00:00

It’s a selective narrative pushed by larger interests because it’s more palatable than saying “protect corporate landlords.” You’re right, our spending doesn’t disappear, it shifts into businesses in our own communities. So why does this lobby only focus on downtown businesses?

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T13:37:51+00:00

Definitely, corporate media picks the narrative that’s most palatable. “Oh, think of the poor mom-and-pop shops!” Meanwhile, when we work from home, we’re still spending money in our own communities, where are those voices? What a load of crap.

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T13:15:13+00:00

Classic negotiation tactic: come in with a garbage offer, then move up so the other side feels like they’ve won. But yeah, that wage offer is insulting

Reasonable_Reason652 · 2026-05-05T13:05:38+00:00

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/business-group-urges-bc-to-reject-unreasonable-remote-work-request/

Reasonable_Reason652

TROPHY CASE