Haveyou been given - as an individual in the midst of this disagreement -the opportunity to voice your opinion? Your vote is your voice. You havebeen muted by the very organization that proclaims to be protectingyou. This is in direct contrast to the TWU’s own charter which professesthat democracy is among its most important principles. I challenge thatfor democracy to work, it must allow the balance of power to be in thehands of the constituents, the participants, not the bureaucratic elite.The TWU’s own website declares:
“The TWUhas more than 50 years of experience in dealing with employers andproviding services to our members which protect and improve their wages,benefits and working conditions. We actively invite memberparticipation at every level of our organization through a democraticprocess that encourages constant communication and input. The TWU has asolid reputation for guarding those democratic principles which maintainthe integrity of the labour movement and which continue to encouragecommitment and activism.”
Inspite of this, there has been no vote, no opportunity/forum to discussthe desires of the workers, little to no communication the days leadingup to July 21, 2005. In fact, the members that choose to have theirvoices heard and that request the democratic process be followed, arethreatened with fines (which generally cannot be enforced), expulsionand labeled as “scabs”. Where is the democracy, and encouragement behindthat? Where is the encouragement for communication and memberparticipation to bring outdated policies into a modern day workingenvironment? Is feeling intimidated and threatened for your safety, theway you should feel in a “process that encourages communication andinput”? TELUS is concerned for your safety – it has been demonstrated –can you say the same for your union? If you disagree with your“brothers”, can you really say you feel safe voicing your opinion? Todate, what has the TWU provided to you?
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A comparison across Canada with other offers? No.
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An industry comparison? No.
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A meaningful dialogue around why, what they are asking for? No.
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Did the TWU executive visit you prior to the labour disruption to discuss with you what they are negotiating, what they stand for? No.
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The opportunity to vote on TWU policies? No.
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The opportunity to vote on a contract that will impact your livelihood? No.
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Published results of the strike votes/poll results? No.
Whatpolitical organization or entity with a democratic structure that youknow of goes into any campaign without advising the public; theirconstituents, what they stand for? Or can act with complete autonomywithout respect for their constituent’s feelings, opinions and lives?The answer, not one. In fact, the only meaningful material, comparisons,information packages etc, have come from TELUS. When the TWU executivereceived notice that TELUS was making an effort to communicate afterthree and a half years to try to provide information to its employees,they sought a gag-order, isn’t this censorship? How can a companyoperate without communicating to its employees? As a managementemployee, I have seen first hand the duress that the year-longcommunications ban put on everyone. This includes you the TWU member,who received barely a shred of meaningful communications from anyonearound what was going on.
If we had a governmentthat never communicated its policy, never indicated what the terms oftheir leadership were, never talked to the public – how long do youthink that government would last? Yet you as a collective are willing tostand by while Bruce Bell and the TWU executive fall silent, then askfor your unwavering commitment and loyalty. They ask you to sacrificeyour financial well being, put your skills/abilities/passions on theshelf to walk the picket line indefinitely – with no end in sight. Evento take other jobs, jobs you may not be prepared to take with lowerwages, degraded working conditions, less benefits; for what are youmaking this sacrifice? For those of you who are deeply committed to yourjobs, families, community, you have all witnessed TELUS contributionsand commitment; can you say the same for the TWU?
Everysingle day you have been at TELUS up to this event, you have providedoutstanding levels of service to your customers. Many of you have goneabove and beyond to assist with perhaps the most vital communicationservice – from setting up communication during emergencies, to helpingthe financially struggling families through payment arrangements, toassisting businesses to grow and further support local economies.Additionally, many of you participate in many TELUS sponsored events,community relations activities, volunteer programs – there is atremendous sense of community here. This is why you choose to be in thisindustry, why you choose to continue to work here and why you all havefelt a sense of commitment and pride being a TELUS employee. Contractlanguage, pickets and brand denigration will never replace that; willnever provide that sense of fulfillment. You should be the one to decidehow meaningful this is to you. The support for our organization isincredible due in large part to your efforts – you should all feelabsolute pride in working here, for the jobs you do, the customers youserve. You are being asked to table that feeling right now, to shelveyour pride in your jobs to walk the picket lines – is the risk of losingpublic support for our organization and/or the potential loss of yourjob worth it? Have you defined for yourself what “it” is?
Alot of negative press has been directed at Mr. Entwistle and the TELUSexecutive by the TWU. Why? It is a tactic to drum up emotion in you; tomake you feel, believe that they are ruthless and driven to eliminatethe union. Where is this coming from? Is it the drive to improve ourorganization to allow us to grow, hire more people, and better supportour communities? The continuous and constant communication since thefirst day on the job? The millions of dollars in donations to ourcommunities? Our ranking as one of the top 50 employers in Canada? Thegenerous time off and vacation entitlements? The strict HR policiesaround ethics, equality and fairness? One of the best compensationpackages in any industry in Canada? A long history of treating employeeswith fairness and dignity – even in the face of change? (Think of OEPand your friends who participated – ask them if they feel they weretreated with respect). The TWU would have you believe that customerservice at TELUS is terrible; based on what…our growth in the past fiveyears? Even with all of this and the guarantee against outsourcing andjob loss, there is still fear, uncertainty and doubt. Do you sincerelyfeel that you as an employee are being given a bad deal? Ask ourcompetitors and other non-union workers who struggle to get benefits andvacation, what they have on their tables. Even the employees that havebeen released due to changes in our business, have left with manyopportunities supported by TELUS to transition to new careers; not tomention with generous packages.
We have all heardBruce Bell make reference to “real bargaining” and “seriousnegotiations” over and over again. Is imposing the language of acontract dated back over 20 years “real bargaining”? Glass housesMr.Bell. I challenge you to put them on the spot and request that theydisclose the dialogue, minutes, bargaining requests, negotiation itemsthey have floated in the past five years – make them accountable to you,the paying membership. They have an obligation to you.
Withrespect to the tactics of asking customers to drop services, boycotts,picketing etc – what end do you believe this will have for you? I amafraid that it will not be positive. Our organization no longer has theluxury of being supported by the government. No longer has the luxury ofa competitor free environment. The growth in significant andthreatening competition in the last year alone is cause for concern forour future as an organization. The TWU dictates that TELUS is makingrecord profits with the existing agreements – we are accomplishing thisbecause for the past five years, unionized employees and management haveworked together to streamline systems/processes, grow the customer baseand create new and innovative ways of doing business. It has nothing todo with the contract and everything to do with you as an employeestepping up with pride to address the challenges and changes of ourmarketplace. As well, local competition is taking on a new face, onethat has not been seen before…if we don’t adapt we will perish.
Ifwe lose customers because of this job action, something will done toensure our survival – the job security that the TWU seems so fit to puton the table as the basis for this will be taken away, with no chance ofrecovery. Think of the impact of going through a strike with little orno pay for six months, only to find out at the end there is no lump sum,no retroactive pay, no job….will the principle be worth it? What impactwill this have on your families? Your lives?
Theintent of this letter is not an ask to reverse your values or yourprinciples. It is an effort to encourage you to take Bruce Bell and theTWU to task the way they are attempting to take TELUS to task. Make themaccountable. Generate your own thoughts, opinions, actions. READ andUNDERSTAND the contract. Request your voice be heard through a vote.Whether it is turned down or accepted, you can feel confident that as anindividual in a democratic society you have had your say, the abilityto express yourself. Right now your rights are being taken from you,your opinions are treated as inconsequential, and your words areprovided by someone else. Remember that in the end, it is your life thatis affected, your mortgage, your children, your jobs, your honor andyour self-respect – do not allow someone to define what this means toyou. If this continues and the TWU is successful in degrading the TELUSbrand and consumer loyalty, there will be no future here for any of us.You have a say, you have a voice; for your benefit, our customers andour company, make your own choice and show your union that its membersare in control, not its administration.