OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers and Union Calling Inc. have paid $115,000 in penalties as part of a settlement over the use of robocalls that violated the country’s telemarketing rules.
The CRTC said Tuesday that its investigation found that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers failed to identify itself or provide its contact information in robocalls made to residents of Ontario. The union hired a company, Union Calling Inc., to deliver pre-recorded messages between May 21 and June 26, 2013 regarding the possible closure or downsizing of post offices in certain communities.
According to the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, calls made using automated calling devices, also known as robocalls, must identify the person on whose behalf the telecommunication is made and provide a mailing address and a local or toll-free telephone number at which a representative of the originator of the message can be reached. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has paid a penalty of $50,000 and Union Calling Inc. has paid $65,000 as part of settlements over violations to the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
In addition to paying monetary penalties, both parties agreed to implement comprehensive compliance programs that will include:
– an acknowledgement of all applicable rules and a commitment to comply fully with them;
– the appointment of a compliance officer to ensure ongoing adherence with the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules;
– an education and training program for employees;
– appropriate record keeping, and
– promotion of better awareness of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
“These latest settlements involve taking action against both the companies who make unsolicited telecommunications and clients of companies who make unsolicited telecommunications as they are both required to comply with the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules”, said Andrea Rosen, the CRTC’s chief compliance and enforcement officer, in a statement. “Canadians expect to know who is calling them, even when listening to a pre-recorded message. This is an important element of the rules governing the use of robocalls.”
