Some of Telus' Demands for Anti-Worker Concessions
Burnaby, Telus workers'
picket, January 16, 2023
The Steelworkers' union is reporting that TELUS had over 50 anti-worker concessionary demands at the beginning of the process that it called a negotiation. Its main demands for concessions remain in place after more than a year.
TELUS wants a six-year contract with a total wage increase of 11.5 per cent, which is far below inflation. It is actually offering a zero per cent increase for 2022, which means no retroactive pay raise for the first year of the collective agreement, which has already gone by. TELUS also wants the cost of living allowance withdrawn from the contract, which means that its global offer is even further below the inflation rate. The company is offering a lump sum of $5,000 at the time of ratification in 2023, plus a lump sum in the same amount in October 2023.
The union views the company's wage offer as unacceptable, considering the hardships workers faced during the pandemic, the current rate of inflation, and the fact that Telus is reaping record profits. It is proposing a three-year contract with a five per cent yearly wage increase that is retroactive to January 1, 2022, with a $10,000 lump sum payment at ratification. It wants to maintain the cost-of-living allowance clause in the contract, with updated dates and percentages.
During conciliation, the union put forward a package that included wages, benefits and all outstanding issues. As part of the package, it proposed a three per cent wage settlement increase per year over a five-year contract, totalling 15 percent over the life of the agreement. The monetary movement was conditional upon Telus's acceptance of the whole package. TELUS rejected the entire package through sleight of hand and the union reverted to its initial wage proposal.
Prince George, Telus
workers' picket, January
22, 2023
In terms of pensions, TELUS is proposing that new workers be excluded from the Telecommunications Workers Pension Plan, which is the defined-benefit pension plan of the members of the Telus bargaining unit in BC. New workers would be covered by a defined-contribution plan, which is inferior.
As for benefits, TELUS wants to move workers out of the current negotiated Benefit Plan, with its definite benefits, and place them on a flex benefit plan where workers get a lump sum and decide where it goes. According to the workers, this amounts to higher out-of-pocket costs for similar coverage. The company also wants to reduce short- and long-term disability benefits. In its offer, the union is proposing to include a provision that changes to the Benefits Plan can only be made with the agreement of both parties, which Telus is simply dismissing.
The company is also demanding a free hand in subcontracting and outsourcing work, which it does on a massive scale. As part of their demand for job security, TELUS unionized workers are demanding that subcontracting be restricted through such measures as protecting their jurisdiction over repair and maintenance work on company infrastructure. TELUS is rejecting this and other union proposals restricting subcontracting and offshoring.
This article was published in
Number 7 - February
22, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10072.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca