BURNABY B.C. – Telus is suing the Telecommunication Workers Union (TWU) for allegedly infringing on its copyrighted trademark “the future is friendly”; and has fired 14 staffers in B.C. and Alberta for going against Telus’ code of conduct.
Drew McArthur, Telus vice-president of corporate services says recent TWU radio advertisements malign their copyrighted trademark: the future is friendly.
The ads, which begin as an on the spot report, “Live on the line,” call upon the public to “Give Telus a wake up call” by canceling telephone calling features (such as call waiting, call display, etc…). Ads include four Telus employees and one customer giving their takes on the “lock out”. Complaints include dismay over customer service, job cuts and the perceived misspending of Telus profits. The ads end with the question: “Still think the future is friendly”?
According to McArthur, the TWU was approached to cease and desist using the radio ads, but have not done so. Repeated attempts by www.cartt.ca to get comment on this matter from TWU during the past week failed.
“The future is friendly” trademark was developed by Telus to illustrate a technology future that is friendly to the consumer,” says McArthur. “Multiple millions of dollars have been invested” in the campaign.
Telus has been tracking the impact of the radio ads (noting whenever a customer cancels or changes services due to the radio ads). As of September 14, 16 customers have cancelled services, says McArthur. This translates into $5,000 in potential business per customer, when considering $3-$5 monthly service charges.
Further, McArthur says this is not the first time Telus has defended its copyright trademark. Telus apparently asked the TWU to cease using a branded TV background a few years ago because it infringed upon its copyrighted animal-themed trademark. The ads were apparently halted.
As for the dismissals, McArthur calls inappropriate behaviour by Telus employees on the picket line “deplorable”. With the recent firing of 14 employees in BC and Alberta for going again company policy, he called upon the TWU to take some action too. “Telus takes responsibility for its employees, the TWU has taken no action, no discipline against its members that behave inappropriately.
What does this mean for the future? For certain, there is continued deadlock. But there is also delay. Telus will not launch its IPTV service until a there is a conclusion to the dispute, says McArthur. With employees in B.C. asked not to cross over due to safety concerns and, according to Telus, the number of people crossing over in Alberta hovering around 55 per cent, there isn’t much people power available.
Ironically, Telus had the “right to contract out its television services,” says McArthur, as it was not covered in the original agreement between the TWU members and Telus. They instead trained staff and developed support for the service internally.
Tara Blasco Raj is www.cartt.ca’s Western Editor
