Rogers to lock out unionized technicians in Metro Vancouver on Monday as contract talks stall
CBC
Sat, November 4, 2023
A drone shot of Rogers Communications headquarters in Toronto. The company says it will lock out unionized technicians in Metro Vancouver on Monday, after the union said it planned a full work stoppage for that day. (Patrick Morrell/CBC - image credit)
Rogers Communications says it plans to lock out nearly 300 unionized technicians, formerly with Shaw, after their union issued a strike notice for Monday.
The United Steelworkers (USW) union represents Rogers workers who support homes and businesses for internet, phone and television services in Metro Vancouver under their Local 1944, Unit 60 chapter.
It says that 99.6 per cent of workers voted in favour of strike action on Sept. 22, with USW saying that the company plans to increase the role of outside contract workers and erode union members' jobs.
However, the company has pushed back against these claims and says its latest offer actually promises job growth for unionized employees. It says the proposed lockout will ensure there is no impact on consumers.
Jayson Little, a staff representative for USW, said that former Shaw workers were cautiously optimistic for their jobs once a huge merger was approved earlier this year.
"Rogers made the commitment to the government ... to ensure that not only jobs would be maintained, that there would be an increase in jobs," he told CBC News.
"The message that we've heard loud and clear from the employer in this round of bargaining, is that they're really interested in expanding contracting out — and eroding the jurisdictional boundaries that we used to have between us and contractors."
Rogers and Shaw applications are pictured on a cellphone in Ottawa on Monday, May 9, 2022. The Competition Bureau says is seeking to block Rogers Communications Inc.'s proposed $26-billion acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc.
A huge Rogers-Shaw merger was approved earlier this year, with Rogers promising to add 3,000 jobs in Western Canada as part of the terms. (The Canadian Press)
The union had already issued an overtime ban earlier this week, and was planning a series of rotating strikes following a full work stoppage on Monday.
Little says that unionized workers feel "disenfranchised and very disappointed" with their new employer, especially after Rogers said they would create 3,000 jobs in Western Canada under the terms of their large merger.
The two sides had been at the bargaining table since February as the union's members worked under the terms of their previous collective agreement, which expired in March. Little says that the union wants to get back to the table and get a fair deal for its members.
Rogers says consumers not affected
In a statement, Rogers said the Monday lockout was a "reluctant step" that came after the union refused to clarify its strike notice on Friday.
"Our goal has always been to achieve a negotiated settlement that meets the needs of our employees and our customers, and we've presented a fair and balanced proposal that would grow the units and protect jobs," wrote Rogers spokesperson Cam Gordon.
Gordon's statement said that the company was not looking to replace workers with contractors, and that its latest offer includes language to add 15 workers to the combined bargaining units, as well as backfill vacancies with full-time workers.
He added that Rogers' use of contractors has remained the same over the last few decades, and they are primarily used during seasonal shifts, resource shortages and new construction projects.
"We've activated our contingency plans so we can continue to carry out our critical work for our customers and meet their needs without interruption," he wrote of the upcoming lockout. "We remain ready and willing to get back to the negotiating table and work on a settlement agreement in good faith."
CBC
Sat, November 4, 2023
A drone shot of Rogers Communications headquarters in Toronto. The company says it will lock out unionized technicians in Metro Vancouver on Monday, after the union said it planned a full work stoppage for that day. (Patrick Morrell/CBC - image credit)
Rogers Communications says it plans to lock out nearly 300 unionized technicians, formerly with Shaw, after their union issued a strike notice for Monday.
The United Steelworkers (USW) union represents Rogers workers who support homes and businesses for internet, phone and television services in Metro Vancouver under their Local 1944, Unit 60 chapter.
It says that 99.6 per cent of workers voted in favour of strike action on Sept. 22, with USW saying that the company plans to increase the role of outside contract workers and erode union members' jobs.
However, the company has pushed back against these claims and says its latest offer actually promises job growth for unionized employees. It says the proposed lockout will ensure there is no impact on consumers.
Jayson Little, a staff representative for USW, said that former Shaw workers were cautiously optimistic for their jobs once a huge merger was approved earlier this year.
"Rogers made the commitment to the government ... to ensure that not only jobs would be maintained, that there would be an increase in jobs," he told CBC News.
"The message that we've heard loud and clear from the employer in this round of bargaining, is that they're really interested in expanding contracting out — and eroding the jurisdictional boundaries that we used to have between us and contractors."
Rogers and Shaw applications are pictured on a cellphone in Ottawa on Monday, May 9, 2022. The Competition Bureau says is seeking to block Rogers Communications Inc.'s proposed $26-billion acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc.
A huge Rogers-Shaw merger was approved earlier this year, with Rogers promising to add 3,000 jobs in Western Canada as part of the terms. (The Canadian Press)
The union had already issued an overtime ban earlier this week, and was planning a series of rotating strikes following a full work stoppage on Monday.
Little says that unionized workers feel "disenfranchised and very disappointed" with their new employer, especially after Rogers said they would create 3,000 jobs in Western Canada under the terms of their large merger.
The two sides had been at the bargaining table since February as the union's members worked under the terms of their previous collective agreement, which expired in March. Little says that the union wants to get back to the table and get a fair deal for its members.
Rogers says consumers not affected
In a statement, Rogers said the Monday lockout was a "reluctant step" that came after the union refused to clarify its strike notice on Friday.
"Our goal has always been to achieve a negotiated settlement that meets the needs of our employees and our customers, and we've presented a fair and balanced proposal that would grow the units and protect jobs," wrote Rogers spokesperson Cam Gordon.
Gordon's statement said that the company was not looking to replace workers with contractors, and that its latest offer includes language to add 15 workers to the combined bargaining units, as well as backfill vacancies with full-time workers.
He added that Rogers' use of contractors has remained the same over the last few decades, and they are primarily used during seasonal shifts, resource shortages and new construction projects.
"We've activated our contingency plans so we can continue to carry out our critical work for our customers and meet their needs without interruption," he wrote of the upcoming lockout. "We remain ready and willing to get back to the negotiating table and work on a settlement agreement in good faith."
The Canadian Press
Sat, November 4, 2023
A breakdown in contract negotiations has prompted plans by Rogers Communication Inc. to lock out nearly 300 former Shaw technicians on Monday after the union issued a 72-hour notice of workers' intent to walk off the job.
United Steelworkers union Local 1944 Unit 60, which represents the workers in Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey and Langley, B.C., said it notified Rogers it planned to begin a series of rotating strikes at noon on Monday.
That came after rejecting a deal from the company that the union called "a shameful attack on our members, their families and the communities Rogers serves."
But Rogers said it will lock the employees out on Monday instead, describing the move as a reluctant step to ensure the company can continue to provide service for its customers without interruption.
" Following the union’s notice of rotating strikes, they declined to further clarify, so we were left with no choice with this uncertainty," Rogers spokesman Cam Gordon said in a statement.
"Our goal has always been to achieve a negotiated settlement that meets the needs of our employees and our customers, and we’ve presented a fair and balanced proposal that would grow the units and protect jobs. It’s really disappointing the union took this step and is misrepresenting facts."
The former Shaw technicians, who were absorbed by Rogers when the companies merged earlier this year, support homes and businesses for internet, phone and television services throughout B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
Their concerns largely centre on job security amid accusations the company has been increasing its reliance on contractors to perform their duties.
USW spokesman Jayson Little said Rogers hasn't moved off its bargaining position of trying to contract out "some of the long-established jurisdictional work" of unionized members and expand the scope of what contractors would be permitted to do.
He said the planned rotating strikes would have minimized the effect any labour action would have on customers, but Rogers' move to lock workers out will keep them off the job entirely.
"The workers are being forgotten in all these conversations about mergers and acquisitions and competition and things like that," Little said. "The workers are really the ones that are being disenfranchised here."
The union has said that recent job losses associated with the merger, meant to reduce overlap following Rogers' $26-billion takeover of Shaw in April, call into question the company's commitment to creating 3,000 new jobs in Western Canada over five years.
"They make commitments publicly and then behind the scenes, they pull the rug out from under their employees and our members," said Little.
"It's unfortunate because our members were optimistic that this could be a good opportunity to really help Rogers reintroduce themselves to the West."
The two sides had been at the bargaining table since February as the union's members worked under the terms of their previous collective agreement that expired on March 23.
Workers voted 99.6 per cent in favour of a strike mandate in September, around two months after entering into a 60-day conciliation process with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Last week, the union asked workers to limit overtime in an attempt to pressure Rogers to move off its position at the bargaining table. But Little said Rogers retaliated by using "scab labour" to fill overtime needs.
Gordon said Rogers "took immediate steps to redeploy employees and contractors," adding the union's move made it harder for the company to fix services if customers experienced a service interruption.
"Our customers rely on us to stay connected, including reaching emergency services," he said Saturday.
"We’ve activated our contingency plans so we can continue to carry out our critical work for our customers and meet their needs without interruption. This includes redeploying employees and contractors.”
Gordon rejected the characterization that the company is "replacing technicians with contractors" and said Rogers' latest offer included language "to grow the combined bargaining unit by 15 members and backfill vacated roles with full-time employees, which would provide job security and further reduce the use of contractors."
Rogers said its practice of using contractors is meant to support seasonal shifts in work and alleviate resource shortages.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2023.
Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B)
Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
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