OTTAWA – Striking telecom workers at Bell Subco, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bell Canada, are raising the stakes in their seven-week-old strike, their union said today.
"We know that the public is being inconvenienced and now we want them to know that they can claim a rebate on their phone bill for poor service," said Bob Huget Ontario Region vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, which represents the 1,400 strikers, primarily working under the Entourage banner.
The Union is taking the rebate campaign directly to the public across Ontario, providing the toll free number for the CRTC. CEP will bring the message into shopping malls and directly into neighborhoods with strikers and their supporters handing out information leaflets outlining complaint procedures.
Bell is obligated by the Commission to provide its services in a timely manner and are subject to regs calling for rebates to customers, should service levels fail.
"Bell customers do not have to meekly accept this poor level of service. It is time they demand that Bell live up to its legal obligations or give them their money back" Huget said.
CEP estimates that customers are waiting upwards of four to five weeks for repairs and even longer for new installations.
"The public needs to understand that there is only one reason why their phone service is suffering and that is because Bell is refusing to negotiate a new contract which would provide our members with equality and fairness in benefits and wages,’ Huget added.
"The best way to get first class service back is for consumers to get tough with Bell. Don’t pay full price for half service."
CEP members at Bell Subco began their strike March 24. They work in communities throughout the province.
