A group of 25 Rogers technicians in Abbotsford, B.C. went on strike early Thursday morning after contract talks with the company failed to reach a deal.
The workers, represented by United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1944, say they’re underpaid compared to colleagues doing the same job in nearby cities.
The union says the Abbotsford technicians earn about 9% less than their counterparts in Vancouver and Surrey, despite doing identical work. Abbotsford is about an hour’s drive southeast from downtown Vancouver and roughly 40 minutes from Surrey.
“Rogers is sending a clear message: it does not value the people who keep its services running in smaller communities like Abbotsford,” said Michael Phillips, President of USW Local 1944, in a statement.
“Our members do critical work every day to support Rogers customers, yet the company believes these workers deserve less simply because of their postal code. The last time I checked, the service that customers buy in Abbotsford costs the same as in Vancouver, so why are the workers paid less? That’s not just disrespectful, it’s shameful.”
The union is also demanding that Abbotsford workers be included in the same contract timeline as other Lower Mainland technicians. Currently, they negotiate separately, which the union says makes it easier for Rogers to offer less favourable terms.
“For years, Rogers has deliberately kept this group bargaining alone so they can push lower wages and worse conditions,” said Jayson Little, a USW staff representative. “That must end now. Our members are standing up not just for themselves, but for every worker who’s been told to sit down and accept less.”
This strike is also among the first to take place under Bill C-58, Canada’s new federal law that bans companies from bringing in replacement workers during legal strikes in regulated sectors like telecom.
“Thanks to this new law, Rogers can’t bring in scabs to do our members’ work while on the picket line,” said Little. “That levels the playing field and protects the right to strike without interference or intimidation.”
The union criticized Rogers not just for its treatment of workers, but also for how it affects customers.
“This is how Rogers treats the people who keep your internet and phone services running,” said Phillips. “It says a lot about what they think of their workers and their customers. There are other options out there for internet providers. People should ask themselves if they want to keep supporting a company that treats its employees like this.”
USW Local 1944 represents around 4,000 telecom workers across Canada, including technicians, customer service agents, and clerical staff. The union is calling on Rogers to return to the table with what it calls a “serious offer” that addresses the wage gap and bargaining inequality.
Back in March, Rogers locked out 26 former Shaw techs in the B.C. interior, as negotiations over wages broke down.
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