BURNABY, B.C. – Hundreds of Telus workers and members of the United Steelworkers union gathered outside of company locations across the country on Sunday for picket training after their union and the telecom failed to hammer out a tentative agreement, according to a press release released yesterday.
“Telus will not move off massive and unnecessary concessions they brought to the table,” said Donna Hokiro, USW Local 1944 President, in the release. “After months of bargaining, we tried to reach a deal through the federal conciliation process, but before Christmas, Telus made a unilateral decision to halt bargaining and walked away from the table.”
The union said the negotiations have stretched for over 14 months, with federal conciliators getting involved. The union said it presented Telus with a revised offer “that showed willingness to work with the company on many of its key issues,” which was rejected. The company instead took its own offer directly to members, the union said.
“It’s absurd that Telus has chosen to go directly to the membership bypassing our bargaining committee,” Hokiro said. “What Telus is presenting is not a fair, just or equitable deal, and our members are worth and deserve more than this offer. We are recommending our members vote ‘no’ to this unfair offer that goes against and undermines the collective bargaining process.”
USW Local 1944 said it will hold town hall meetings to make its members aware of the details of Telus’s “sub-par offer” and have them vote on it.
Telus did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
USW represents nearly a quarter of a million workers across the country and is the largest private sector union in North America, with members in the United States as well.
Photo via United Steelworkers union
