The Bank of Canada locked out approximately 60 security officers who are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) on June 23, 2026, marking the official start of a labour dispute. The majority of the affected officers work in Ottawa, with a handful stationed in Montreal.
Union rejects concessions on parental leave and scheduling
Patrick Tessier, local vice-president and a member of the bargaining committee, said the Bank of Canada is pushing for concessions that include cutting parental leave and changes to “post” language in the collective agreement. These changes could allow the employer to alter schedules with minimal notice, potentially eliminating overtime and disrupting work-life balance.
“That’s what really has our members peeved is that added language to change our shifts on a moment’s notice,” Tessier said. “We don’t have the flexibility to work from home, so we have to work here every day, which is fine, but the stability of knowing when we work allows us to arrange our home lives in consequence.”
Impact on families and work-life balance
Tessier highlighted the personal stakes, noting that he looked at events like his son’s sixth grade graduation on the evening of the first day of the labour dispute to realize what he and his members were fighting for. “If my schedule changed with short notice on the day of the graduation, would that mean that now I get a reprimand because I can’t stay or I have to miss that special moment? That just comes once in a lifetime, right? So that’s why we’re fighting out here today,” he said.
Alex Silas, national executive vice-president at PSAC, echoed these concerns, stating that the proposed changes would have a “huge impact on work-life balance.” He cited scenarios where child pickups and dropoffs could be disrupted. “If I got to drop off my kid at daycare at a specific time, and the employer calls me the night before and says, ‘Oh, you’re actually coming in two hours earlier,’ what are you supposed to do with that?” Silas said.
Union calls concessions 'gross' and 'impersonal'
Silas described the proposed concessions as “pretty gross,” emphasizing that the security officers are not demanding anything but rather asking the Bank of Canada to withdraw its demands. Ruth Lau MacDonald, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President, told the Ottawa Citizen that the proposal revealed the “sneaky” and “impersonal” nature of concessions like changing shifts or locations of a worker to avoid overtime. She also criticized the Bank of Canada for rolling back parental leave.
The lockout affects around 60 security officers, who are now on the picket line in Ottawa. The dispute centers on the Bank of Canada’s demands for concessions that the union says would undermine job stability and family life.
