OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) has paid $50,000 as part of a settlement over violations to the country’s telemarketing rules, plus agreed to end its previous telemarketing practices and help promote awareness of the rules, the CRTC said Wednesday.
The AFL is a voluntary organization consisting of 29 union affiliates and representing 160,000 workers in Alberta. Acting on complaints, the Commission investigated the AFL for alleged violations of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules and found that through a third-party firm, the AFL made unsolicited telemarketing calls via an automatic dialing-announcing device (ADAD). These calls did not comply with the rules, as the ADAD messages failed to provide a local or toll-free phone number and mailing address where the AFL could be reached.
In addition to paying the fine, the AFL agreed to future compliance with the rules, and to ensure ADAD communications made on its behalf begin with a clear message identifying the AFL as the organization for which the call is made and indicating the purpose of the call. This identification message shall include an email address or postal address, and a local or toll-free phone number where an AFL representative can be reached.
As well, the organization committed to develop and implement compliance programs that include:
– written policies and procedures that address compliance with the rules;
– education and training programs for people involved in initiating unsolicited telecommunications;
– record-keeping procedures to help AFL and Commission staff verify compliance;
– registration and tracking of complaints related to unsolicited telecommunications, and resolutions;
– disciplinary procedures for compliance failures;
– third-party telemarketer arrangements that address compliance and assign responsibility for obligations; and
– communications with CRTC staff as necessary to determine compliance.
“Canadians deserve to know the purpose of an ADAD call and how to contact the organization behind it”, said Tom Lowry, the CRTC’s director of telecommunications enforcement, in the announcement. “The Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules make those obligations clear for all individuals and groups involved in telemarketing. Our settlement with the AFL reflects the organization’s cooperation with our investigation and willingness to work with the CRTC to promote awareness of the Rules.”
