Silver lining in Telus strike
p2pnet.net News- British Columbia ISP Telus is in day three of a Telecommunications Workers’ Union strike, but a BC broadband wireless company is delighted by the action, calling it a blessing.
“This increase in activity is huge for us,” says Dorian Banks, coo/cto at BC’s MetroBridge Networks. “Now people will get a chance to see what broadband wireless is all about: highly reliable, widely available, symmetrical service at a competitive price,” he says.
“This lockout will accelerate the adoption of broadband wireless in the Lower Mainland.”
The TWU says Telus is blocking the union web site. Its Voices For Change!, has a posting stating, “when support is called they [Telus] claim not to be blocking access.”
But, “Television station BCTV Global did a story on the 6:00 o’clock news on this issue,” says the post. “Radio station CKNW also had as story on censoring TELUS customers, after receiving calls from numerous TWU members. Both media outlets are in British Columbia.
In both cases, the company admitted to censoring TWU members and their customers.
Voice says union members who use Telus can use the proxy http://vfc.proxy.pfak.org/.
Drew McArthur, Telus vp of corporate affairs, confirmed the blockage, but claims it`s because the site was carrying confidential “proprietary information” about Telus, but wouldn`t elaborate, says the Canadian Press, going on:
He also said that, by posting photos of staff and managers crossing picket lines, the website threatened the safety of non-union employees. And he claimed the site was encouraging visitors to telephone Telus call centres and tie up lines with bogus concerns.
Voices says On The Line: Walking the Picket Lines at TELUS has now been added to the site to, display photo contributions by site visitors of TWU members proudly walking the picket line at TELUS locations in an effort to get a fair, revised collective agreement. And so far, loopwash (pic upper right) seems to be doing all the posting.
Meanwhile, MetroBridge says customer enquiries have increased 15 fold since the labour dispute started, and the company is expecting even more interest as the strike continues,according to banks, who adds:
“MetroBridge has been fielding a lot of calls from panicked people … on Friday, a small business started in their new office with no phone lines or ADSL. We got them a data connection over the weekend and VoIP for phones.”
Something you think we should know? tips[at]p2pnet.net
See:-
MetroBridge Networks – MetroBridge rescues businesses hit by Telus strike, July 25, 2005
Canadian Press – Tensions mount as worker injured, lines cut as Telus strike enters third day, July 25, 2005
July 25th, 2005 at 11:22 pm
Telus is coming off really heavy on this one. Labour disputes in Canada usually don’t take on this kind of tone.
Either they are idiots running the company, or they feel they have nothing to lose. I’m not sure what it is.
July 26th, 2005 at 2:29 am
It’s probly a case of both. Frightening as it may be, there really are companies run by ppl who act like they belong in the Dilbert comic by whatsisname.
July 27th, 2005 at 3:13 pm
I’m completely appalled by what is happening with the Telus strike. The Union is developed to protect the rights of their employees. Would that not mean that employees need a stable job to come back to? The line cuttings, disrupting peoples EMERGENCY services AND encouraging hostile behaviour for employees who are willing to work to feed their families then they are a new organization all together. You minus as well as call them them mafia – threatening others to ensure “fairness” for the union reps. Numerous amount of times the behaviour of a unionized employee has foster individuals that blatently say ‘I can do what I want, I won’t get fired’
I just can’t believe that there are individuals out there that truly believe that this is the way to handle a labour dispute…’oh we don’t get what we want, let’s not work’
The irony in this all is they are looking for job security…wouldn’t think their jobs are pretty secure considering the fact that if non-unionized employees did not get what they want and decided to strike they would not be coming back to a job, thats for sure.
Another funny thought…Bruce Bell…any relation to the Bell Canada family?
July 29th, 2005 at 5:29 pm
Telus workers have one of the best deals in the indsutry. In the modern day world when a common man has zero security one fails to understand who us going to benfit from this. To that point companies make effort for soft layoff large workforce to keep the staff lean and in current technology area where VOIP has taken over Telus has done a lot for its workers and all legitimate workers should return to work.
A common man.
August 4th, 2005 at 12:32 am
the man ??? at the top of this company is a complete idiot and should be wearing a clowns outfit meaning no disrespect to the clowns as this is an honorable proffession
August 4th, 2005 at 12:32 am
September 4th, 2005 at 10:06 pm
I’m completely appalled by what is happening with the Telus strike.
“The Union is developed to protect the rights of their employees. Would that not mean that employees need a stable job to come back to?”
TELUS locked out the employees, the employees did not strike.
“The line cuttings, disrupting peoples EMERGENCY services AND encouraging hostile behaviour for employees who are willing to work to feed their families then they are a new organization all together.”
All propoganda. To date no TELUS employee has been found responsible of any of the above behaviour.
“I just can’t believe that there are individuals out there that truly believe that this is the way to handle a labour dispute…’oh we don’t get what we want, let’s not work’”
Lockout, not a strike.
“The irony in this all is they are looking for job security…wouldn’t think their jobs are pretty secure considering the fact that if non-unionized employees did not get what they want and decided to strike they would not be coming back to a job, thats for sure.”
They simply don’t want their jobs contracted out. Ironically TELUS is doing just that, bringing in contract workers in BC after claiming repeatedly they would not outsource jobs.