BURNABY, B.C. – This week TELUS and its 8,000 unionized United Steelworkers union (USW) members kicked off negotiations to renew the collective agreement. The current contact between the parties expires on Dec. 31, 2021.
“The workers are engaged, fired-up and ready to go. They see that TELUS is a multi-billion-dollar telecom giant and are demanding respect,” said USW Local 1944 President Donna Hokiro.
Key priorities for the union in this round of bargaining include job security, pay equity, health and well-being and securing dignity and respect on the job, including for remote work.
“It all starts and ends with job security,” said Hokiro. “TELUS has been shipping off good middle-class Canadian jobs overseas in droves over the years and it needs to stop.”
Hokiro said that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of the telecommunications sector and the work that happens each day to keep it running smoothly.
Donna Hokiro, USW Local 1944 President, 604-437-8601 (office) donna.hokiro@usw1944.ca
Shannon Devine, USW Communications, 416-894-7118 (cell) sdevine@usw.ca
Tomorrow is Election Day in British Columbia and there’s too much at stake for Steelworkers to sit this one out. Across our province, working families are facing real challenges. Forestry communities are fighting to protect jobs and keep mills running. Mining workers need stronger safety protections and training. Canadian jobs are threatened by outsourcing, and […]
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 7619 has issued 72-hour strike notice to Teck’s Highland Valley Copper (HVC) operation near Logan Lake, B.C., following unsuccessful negotiations to reach a fair collective agreement. The notice was served Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m., with the union preparing for potential strike action if an agreement […]
The jobs of thousands of USW members have been plunged into uncertainty due to U.S. tariffs, outsourcing and offshoring. In 2025, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) has supported initiatives that help build union-to-union solidarity, which is critical to ensuring workers have a voice. Over the years, the USW has supported the efforts of the Mexican […]