Earlier this month, Telus told numerous call centre workers in Ontario they had to relocate by October, or find new jobs or accept layoffs. Telus plans to close its call centre in Barrie.
These employees, part of the United Steelworkers union (USW), protested the company’s decision in the streets of Toronto, and supported by similar protests in Burnaby, BC, on the weekend. Banners read, “Telus hurts families.”
Yesterday, The USW filed an urgent application with B.C. Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the Telus return to office plan.
The union seeks interim relief in what it says is to protect workers facing a choice between accepting a Voluntary Severance Package (VSP), Early Retirement Incentive Plans (ERIP), or returning to the office.
Shame on Telus! USW Local 1944 members standing strong to fight for their jobs and communities. Supported by @OFLabour @torontolabour @USWSTAC #solidarity pic.twitter.com/o7pa5TrvtG
— United Steelworkers (@SteelworkersCA) July 27, 2024
The union seeks an expedited hearing, scheduled for August 7, 2024. The Telus changes will cause irreparable harm to employees, particularly impacting women, individuals with families, elder care responsibilities, and members with disabilities, says the USW.
“The impact of these changes on our members cannot be overstated,” said Jayson Little, USW staff representative, in a statement. “We are deeply concerned about the discriminatory and disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups within our membership and we believe that the actions from Telus are in direct violation of the very laws designed to protect workers.”
The USW seeks an injunction to prevent Telus from requiring employees to choose between the VSP, ERIP, and returning to the office, while also maintaining the current work-from-home arrangements.
“We’ve been on a journey to evolve our customer service, increasingly offering digital and self-serve options that continue to decrease call volumes,” said Telus earlier this month.
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Prior to this I was alway under the impression Telus management had much higher moral standards than the other 2.