TELUS’ workers union calls on federal labour minister to impose arbitration

For more than four years, the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) has fought with TELUS Corp. over the establishment of a new collective bargaining agreement between the two parties. The dispute heated up earlier this month when TWU workers walked off the job or were locked out, depending on which side you talk to. Now the TWU’s fight has some added muscle behind it as five British Columbia members of Parliament and the opposition labour critic have sent a letter to Joe Fontana, minister of Labour, asking the government to impose binding arbitration in the dispute. Dear Mr. Fontana, We are writing to implore that you use the considerable powers as Minister of Labour to intervene and require binding arbitration in the Telus dispute with its employees who are members of the Telecommunications Workers’ Union. Telus has show consistent bad faith throughout this dispute, as the Canada (sic) Industrial Relations Board has indicated in its recent ruling. The importation of bullying American anti-trade union techniques into Canada is worrisome, and Telus cannot be allow to continue its bullying tactics. You must intervene. The 13,700 members of the Telecommunications Worker’s Union have been extraordinarily patient, having gone five years with steadily decreasing real wages. The impact in many communities has been considerable, as families have reduced purchasing power and have suffered by the loss in real wages. Telus workers have seen steadily decreasing wages, stonewalling on negotiations, and a company management that wants to outsource their jobs. The Telus management has adopted aggressive American-style techniques to ensure that the workers in the company do not have the opportunity to address these issues. The Canadian Industry Relations Board has consistently found Telus guilty of poisoning the collective bargaining process, interfering in the efforts of the workers to attain a collective agreement, breeching the labour code and committing unfair labour practices. Despite the rulings, the CIRB refuses to impose sanctions. You have the responsibility as Minister to enforce the law. Refusing to enforce the law is rewarding Telus management for breaking the law. At the same time as the Telus board cuts salaries in real terms for its employees, the board is fawning generous to Telus executives. CEO Darren Entwhistle has received an unbelievably bloated 54% increase in compensation, and received over $6.5 million last year.Other Telus corporate chiefs have received even greater increases. At a time when so many Telus employees are finding it harder to provide for their families, the Telus board has provided generous compensation to their corporate executives. In addition, Telus has geared up to promote more outsourcing of Canadian jobs through its promotion of affiliates in the Philippines. It is clear that Telus management refuses to accept community values. The latest action from Telus was to use its control as a service provider to all Telus.com and Telus.net accounts to censure public access to a web site that provides information about Telus’ treatment of its workers. This is unprecedented in Canadian business history, and shows a disturbing new twist on the type of anti-worker strategy that is increasingly occurring as your government refuses to act. It is important to note that the BC Civil Liberties Union has condemned Telus for this censorship and suppression of free speech. Your inaction is encouraging Telus management to disregard community values and disregard tribunal judgements. Your inaction has allowed this conflict to hurt Telus workers and the general public. We have personally experienced the service problems that have resulted from the lock-out by Telus, and we know that many other Canadians have experienced similar problems. In fact, Telus is again not meeting CRTC minimum standards for service. Telus is able to continue its bad faith tactics with workers who have given so much to build the company because the federal government has refused to intervene. It is time to make the decision that you have the power to make, and it is time to oblige Telus to submit to binding arbitration. As an alternative, you have the power to impose an Industrial Inquiry Commissioner on the issue of Telus and its appalling labour relations, and to have the Commissioner look into these important issues. The 13,700 hard-working Telus employees deserve much better than what they have received. The public that is facing the rapid decline in service while Telus promotes outsourcing deserves much better. And you should act to restore a more stable environment rather encouraging the unbelievably irresponsible tactics of Telus. Please act now. Signed by Peter Julian MP Burnaby-New Westminster Bill Siksay MPBurnaby-Douglas Libby Davies MP Vancouver East Nathan Cullen MPSkeena-Bulkley Valley Jean Crowder MPNanaimo-Cowichan David Christopherson MPHamilton Centre(Labour Critic)

TELUS’ workers union calls on federal labour minister to impose arbitration

News | 08/04/2005 4:00 am EDT

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