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Telecommunication Workers Union Local 16 Kelowna BC

The Olympic winter games are in full swing with the eyes and ears of the world paying close attention. In light of this unique opportunity to spread the message about offshoring and the negative effects it is having on our workers and communities, the Telecommunications Workers Union will air a 30 second radio message today and Saturday on the following radio stations in B.C.:

If you do not have an opportunity to listen in today, the radio ad will be posted on the TWU website later today.

Here is the link to Toad Rock's website. It has a great deal of info on the campground and amenties they provide. The dates for the rally are Saturday, June 20-Monday June 22, 2009. There are a few items in addition to the link such as:

Subject: [twu] TWU/STT Hotline-Feb.03.2009

Good day, this is a TWU Hotline update recorded Tuesday, February 3, 2009.

TELUS Sending More Canadian Jobs Overseas!

The TWU was informed by TELUS yesterday that it will be downsizing positions from its Client Care Business Solutions and Complimentary Channels. TELUS stated the move was cost-driven and will affect Calgary, Edmonton, Burnaby and Vancouver.

Approximately 300 employees were offered a package yesterday. TELUS hopes to get at least 50 full-time positions to accept the package. The Union is awaiting more information from the company regarding the choices that will be offered to remaining employees. To date, the TWU has been informed that the bulk of the work from the Client Care Rep V unit will be outsourced to Manila, Philippines.

The TWU is angry and disappointed with the company's choice to move jobs from Canadian communities to offshore locations. The Union believes that TELUS should employ workers in the communities where it earns its profits.
We are well-aware of the impact that the company's choices have on our members and we are looking into all of our options to address this issue.

Employees affected by this decision can expect to receive a letter from their manager advising of the downsizing and offering them a voluntary separation package. Packages will be seniority driven and any extenuating circumstances will be discussed with the Union. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your business agent.

Thank you for calling the TWU Hotline.
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Telus downsizing in BTTO

The TWU has been informed by Telus that it is downsizing a number of administrative clerical positions in BTTO. The union has contacted the company to have discussions about the impact on these members and what options are available.

The TWU will provide further information as the discussions progress.

This is the TWU Hotline for January 8, 2009

Members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, Local 175, at
the Montreal Petro-Canada refinery, have ratified a new collective agreement,
ending the thirteen-month lockout that began in November 2007.

The workers at the refinery voted 94.6% to accept a new collective agreement,
which was fought over the future of national pattern bargaining in Canada's
oil, gas and petrochemical industries. As a result of the successful battle,
Canadian Labour Congress President Ken Georgetti has announced the end of the
national Petro-Canada boycott.

Georgetti thanked the member organizations of the CLC for their support of the
boycott campaign, which demonstrated the strength of labour solidarity in
Canada and played an essential role in the successful outcome of the CEP's
struggle.

Thank you for calling the TWU Hotline.

TWU National Health & Safety Committee Bulletin

Number 8
October 1, 2008

Subject: Stopping the spread of germs and illness

With the cold and flu season coming, you must take precautions so your office does not become a haven for germs. Developing good habits now will prevent the spread of illness this season.

The following tips will minimize the spread of germs in your workplace:

Wash your hands
The single most effective way to kill germs and stop the spread of disease is to use soap and hot water for 20 seconds. Wash your hands after using the washroom, before preparing or eating food, and frequently throughout the day.

Cover that cough
To stop the spread of germs, cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of it properly. Carry a clean tissue with you at all times. If you do not have a tissue handy, cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Wash your hands often. Follow this advice at home, as well, to protect your family at all times.

Keep your work area clean
If you are like most people, you are probably ready to blame your sniffling co-workers for your sickness, but chances are it is your own work area that is probably making you sick. A typical desk has about 21,000 germs per square inch. Compare that with an office toilet seat carrying 49 germs a square inch. Desk surfaces, phones, keyboards and computer mice are havens for germs because they are used so often. The best way to kill bacteria is to wipe down your work area with disinfectant.

Keep fit to boost your immune system
Your body has a better chance of fighting off viruses if you are in good shape. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, drinking plenty of fluids and doing a minimum of 30 minutes of daily exercise will safeguard your body for the onslaught of germs that the cold and flu season brings.

Stay in bed
If you are sick, do not drag yourself into the office, putting your co-workers at risk. Use common sense and stay at home if you have obvious cold and flu symptoms. The general rule is to stay at home for at least 24 hours until the symptoms subside.

Remember: sometimes all your body needs is rest and time to heal.

Visit the TWU Health & Safety webpage at
www.twu-canada.ca/safety/english.shtml.
TWU National Health & Safety Committee
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This is the TWU Hotline for January 17, 2008.

In the summer of 2007, TELUS changed the practice of deferring vacation while members where on short term disability until after they had returned to work to forcing members to keep their vacation, even though in some cases it was right in the middle of their medically supported short term disability leave. This issue was resolved in December of 2007. The resolve to the grievance is that members whose short term disability overlapped their pre-approved vacation, would continue on short term disability; provided that a Practitioner's Assessment Form was previously submitted in support of their absence. This is a significant win for all TWU members.

Your Political Action Committee is pleased to announce that Bill C-12 received royal assent on Friday. Bill C-12 provides for a series of changes and amendments to Canadian insolvency and wage protection laws and is something that the TWU, through the Canadian Labour Congress, has been requesting for a number of years.

Originally introduced as Bill C-55 in 2005 and coined as the "Workers First Bill" by the Federal NDP, the new law grants workers more stability should their employer go bankrupt. Previous legislation has put banks, financial institutions and other creditors at the front of the line to get paid.

With the passage of this bill, three important changes have been made:
-                     workers have been moved up the creditor line
-                     protection of pension contributions
-                     the ability of bankruptcy judges to unilaterally alter collective agreements has been limited

This legislation was made possible with the support of the Federal NDP, the hard work and lobbying of the CLC and the efforts of many hard working union members across the country.

Thank you all and thank you for calling the TWU Hotline.
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Good day, this is the TWU Hotline, recorded
October 30th, 2007

Service Technicians employed by Sears in the lower
mainland of BC were locked out on October 1, 2007
because they would not work under a collective
agreement that was imposed. Bargaining broke off
on September 27 when Sears demanded that the
Bargaining Committee either reject or accept the
offer right then and there prior to taking it to
their members. Sears locked them out On October 1,
first thing in the morning and then offered them a
chance to come in and work under the company's new
agreement. The "agreement" contained many
concessions and was inferior to what the employees
had previously. These long term employees joined
the Union in 1997 because of poor management and a
constant chipping away at terms and conditions of
employment by Sears. They are represented by IBEW
Local 213. They are asking that others do not
patronize Sears until this dispute is resolved
regardless of where they live in Canada.

We are asking all of our members to show support
for these workers who are fighting for dignity and
respect by not doing any business with this unfair
employer. If you would like to express your
opinion to Sears management, call: 1-800-973-7579
(Sears President's Line) or 1-800-469-4663.

Thank you for not shopping at Sears until this
dispute is resolved.

TWU Survey

August 14, 2007

The TWU Solidarity Committee is launching the first in a series of
membership surveys; this survey applies only to those who fall under the
TELUS/TWU Collective Agreement. The surveys will allow the membership to
express their views on a number of issues to the TWU Executive Council. The
survey results will be used as a tool to aid Executive Council with
membership involvement.

Members have been working under the new TELUS/TWU Collective Agreement for
more than eighteen months. During that period, members have had time to see
the impact this new collective agreement is having in the workplace and on
their home life.

We would like members to tell us which articles of the new collective
agreement are having the greatest impact on working and/or home life.

TWU Survey link: http://www.twu-canada.ca/phpQ/surveye.shtml

TELUS intends to move some TELUS Mobility client care work to Manila

June 12, 2007
News Category: hotline

TELUS Mobility informed the Table Officers this afternoon that TELUS intends to move some TELUS Mobility client care work to Manila in the Phillipines. TELUS claims this will not effect any Canadian employees and they intend to grow Canadian call centres.

They will begin with 40 positions in Manila and increase to 200 by the end of the year.

Catholics told to pull plug on Telus
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Even though other wireless providers already allow cellphone access to adult images through Internet browsers, Kevin Restivo, a telecommunications analyst for the SeaBoard Group in Toronto, said in the past, for technological reasons, it has either been impossible or "excruciatingly slow" for cellphone users to download erotic or other images.

Telus, Restivo said Friday, has made it simpler to download adult images by redesigning them specifically for cellphones.

On November 15th, 2006 the following motion was submitted to TWU Executive Council from Local 5:
“WHEREAS the Telecommunications Workers Union represents workers across Canada and now faces significant operational, representational and financial performance challenges before the expiry of the TELUS-TWU collective agreement in 2010; now .......(more)

Posted January 10th 2007:
Judge Groves Decision TWU vs Bell
In the Supreme Court of Canada
Date: 20061208

This is the TWU hotline recorded October 27, 2006

The TWU is pleased to announce that national anti-scab legislation became one step closer to reality this week. Members of Parliament voted in favour of the second reading of Bill C-257, with 167 votes in favour and 101 opposed.

The Bill will make it illegal for employers like Telus to hire replacement workers while their own employees are locked out or on strike. But it's not law yet.

The legislation has been referred to a committee and still needs to pass a third reading vote in the House of Commons, three votes in the Senate and royal assent, before it becomes law.

The TWU would like to thank all members who asked their MPs to support this bill, and would urge members to keep the pressure on. This legislation could have made a major difference in the outcome of our labour dispute, and could stop Telus from shipping in busloads of scabs in future disputes.

Let's keep the pressure on until this Bill becomes law. Contact your MPs and urge them to proceed to the third reading without delay. For information on what you can do to support anti-scab legislation, visit the TWU Web site www.twu-canada.ca or the CLC Web site www.canadianlabour.ca.

The TWU would like to encourage all members interested to participate in the following rally to be held Saturday, October 28, 2006. There will be a march at 1:00 p.m. with the rally to follow at 2:00 p.m.

Canadian Troops out of Afghanistan

Labour Contingent will meet at 12 noon at the Waterfront Station, West Cordova Street around the Angel of Victory Statue. Labour will march behind the BC Labour against the War banner. Bring your Union banners, flags and messages of peace.

For more information or if you can't find the BC labour Against the War banner, contact Mable Elmore at 604-783-5171.

For more information you can visit www.stopwar.ca

Thank you for calling the TWU hotline.

This is the TWU hotline recorded October 26, 2006

The TWU office has filed policy grievances over the Company's statement that members would lose any current vacation and/or banked holiday time which have not been taken.

In addition, the Union has ... more

(released here 20060908)
DECISION OF THE TRIAL BOARD

(The Accused) Bruce Bell, President, Telecommunications Workers Union
Heard before a Telecommunications Workers Union Trial Board

DECISION (43 pages, size 271KB)

August 23, 2006
....Local 209 Member loses children in plane crash
....Arbitration Update
....Balance Day Arbitration more...

August 18, 2006
Trial update/September TWU Special Meetings

As we noted in a previous Hotline regarding the charges brought against Bruce Bell, Mr. Bell was able to launch an appeal through the Canadian Labour Congress. Mr. Bell has made that request, and an Ombudsperson has been appointed.
more...

TWU Member Bulletin - August 08, 2006
To all TWU/STT Members across Canada

Several weeks ago numerous TWU Delegates brought forth and laid charges against President Bruce Bell. Following the process as set out in the TWU Constitution a Trial Board was then struck, and a hearing was held.

After deliberations the Trial Board rendered their decision Sunday August 6th 2006 and as a result effective immediately Mr. Bruce Bell has been removed from the office of President.

Mr. Bell has the opportunity to appeal the decision to an Ombudsperson of the Canadian Labour Congress.
The TWU will move forward remaining focused and accountable to you the membership.
Please contact your Local President and Delegates for further information.
more...

TWU Hotline
July 21, 2006
News Category: hotline
Arbitration updates more...

This is the TWU Hotline for June 2, 2006.
Members in British Columbia who recently received a re-assessment of their 2002 income taxes relating to expense issues at Telus are reminded to send in their notice of objection ....... more

Vancouver Sun: Saturday, March 11, 2006
Telus union execs reinstated by judge
A B.C. Supreme Court judge ordered Telus union leader Bruce Bell and his executive restored to office Friday, saying union warfare should be resolved by contest, not revolution.....

March 7, 2006 - hotline
Today was the second day of the TWU’s annual Convention. more...

Important note about Job Postings..
March 2, 2006 - bulletins
Access to job postings more...

February 10, 2006 - hotline
Business Agent Karen Whitfield reports that the final decisions on contempt of court charges against TWU members came down in January. more...

TWU Hotline December 20, 2005
Deeming of days lost approved more...
The Union Pension Trustees report that the issue of pensionable days lost to the 4 month labour dispute has been resolved. Arbitrator Peter Morse (who was appointed by the courts as the 9th Pension Trustee for the BC Plan to break the deadlock) has voted "yes" which ruled the deeming of days lost due to the recent labour dispute.
With the deeming of days lost approved it is NOT necessary for members to purchase days to achieve the full year pension credit.

Notice to TWBP members: December 15, 2005
Update regarding Health & Benefit Plan more...

TWU Hotline December 7, 2005
Union and the company are working to resolve problems more...
Finally, TWU officers held a conference call with Telus management Wednesday involving office closures. A bulletin on this subject will be out shortly. The bottom line is that we have requested that every effort be made to ensure that there are sufficient vacancies created to enable members affected by closures to remain employed in the community where they live if they wish to.

TWU Hotline December 6, 2005
TWU met with the company today more...
Arbitrations for members who were fired during the dispute are ongoing, with hearing days scheduled through December 21st. It is possible that these dates will be extended to the 22nd, if necessary.

Telus Corp. announces merger of Telus Mobility with wireline division 17:08:26 EST Nov 24, 2005
VANCOUVER (CP) - Telus Corp. is merging its wireless and traditional telephone businesses, Telus Mobility and Telus Communications, into one operation and consolidating power under CEO Darren Entwistle.

TWU Hotline November 24, 2005
Orientation Sessions update
Members who are called in to attend an orientation session should be paid for the entire day, whether or not the session lasts a full day. In addition, members who attend such sessions are considered to be on staff and getting paid from that date.

TWU Hotline November 22, 2005
Key Points and Membership Concerns: more...

Nov 18th Vote count
Cast: 10,566 - Spoiled: 450 = Valid: 10,116 YES: 6808 NO: 3308 Ratification Passed by 64.1%

Nov 18th Vote count

Cast: 10,566 - Spoiled: 450 = Valid: 10,116

YES: 6808
NO: 3308

Ratification Passed by 64.1%

History Pic - July 21 2005 to Nov 18th 2005

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