VANCOUVER – Saying it wants to accelerate the resolution of its union negotiations, Telus today made “an addendum” to its last offer to its B.C. workers.
The offer was presented to the Telecommunications Workers Union on April 13th and the addendum clarifies some of the clauses, said the western telco today. "We continue to do everything we can to reach a settlement that benefits our employees, customers and shareholders," said Darren Entwistle, Telus president and CEO, in a news release.
"We have made these adjustments to expedite settlement of a replacement collective agreement. Our offer is generous, provides job security, is affordable for shareholders, and gives the flexibility we need to be successful in an increasingly competitive and changing marketplace. For the benefit of all involved, we are looking to the TWU leadership to seriously consider our offer and its addendum. It is time that Telus’ bargaining unit team members have the opportunity to decide by the TWU taking the offer to vote without further delay."
The new offer contains the following elements:
* A contribution of up to $10 million to the Telecommunications Workers Pension Plan (TWPP). This company contribution will offset the actuarial impact of trustee approval to recognize the past periods lump sum payment such that it is treated as pensionable earnings.
* Telus will make employer contributions to the TWPP for variable pay payments going forward so that they are recognized as pensionable earnings.
* A material increase of up to $8,000 to the lump sum payments for Telus Communications Alberta-based team members working in access technician, network technician, service technician and engineering technician occupations.
* An increase from 2.0 to 2.5 per cent to the 2005 and 2006 wage schedules for plant technicians and engineering technicians in Telus Communications and Telus Mobility.
* For B.C. bargaining unit team members, variable pay will be awarded for the full year of 2005 if the contract is ratified before September 1, 2005.
* A Telus Solutions Expert Program for select positions in Technology and Operations will provide pay differentials to employees attaining certain certifications.
* The establishment of a Common Interest Forum through which Telus executives and TWU executives will meet every six months to promote dialogue on key business issues and areas of concern, including issues associated with contracting out.
* A good-faith commitment to reinvest savings, resulting from contracting out non-core functions, into Telus’ core business in the province where the savings originated.
There is no change to the financial guidance that has been previously communicated by Telus concerning the impact of the proposed new collective agreement with the TWU.
The addendum also includes a Memorandum of Agreement making the implementation of the base wage schedules as provided in the offer conditional on the ratification of the offer prior to September 1. If the contract is ratified after September 1, the effective dates for annual wage increases for 2006 through to 2009 would be adjusted from April 1 of each calendar year to the actual date that the agreement is made effective, warned the company.
