BURNABY, B.C. – The Telecommunications Workers Union, angry that Telus plans to simply implement its latest contract offer, says it will escalate its job action, but did not say they would strike.
"Yesterday the federal Minister of Labour took a very positive step. He offered to appoint a special mediator with the power to mediate a resolution to the dispute between Telus and the TWU," said union president Bruce Bell in a release.
"But within hours, the company rejected the Minister’s offer and heaped scorn on the idea of entering into a special mediation process," he said. "Then, this morning, Telus management went even further, issuing a bulletin saying that the company plans to impose its contract proposal on our membership on July 22,” he continued.
"This is yet another indication of the arrogance and intransigence that is emanating from the top of the house at TELUS. Based on the company’s rejection of the Minister’s proposal and its announced intention to unilaterally impose a non-negotiated set of contract proposals that offer nothing by way of contracting-out protection, we have no choice but to escalate our job action.”
What that escalation might mean – given what the union has been doing already, was not explained.
