A powerful bat light projection lit up the outside of Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Thursday night, casting the message “Fair Contact Now” across the venue during the Cyndi Lauper concert. This visual raised awareness of the ongoing fight by Abbotsford-based technicians for a fair contract from Rogers.
“The bat light shines a spotlight on the disrespect our members feel and the unfair offers they’ve received,” said Michael Phillips, USW Local 1944 President. “We love serving the Abbotsford community, but we’re against being undervalued. These strikers just wanna have a fair contract.”
The strike, which began on June 19, 2025, is about ensuring equal pay between Abbotsford technicians and those elsewhere in the Lower Mainland and ending Rogers’ divide-and-conquer approach to bargaining that seems to be occurring time after time.
“Our members are standing up not just for themselves, but for every worker who’s ever been told to sit down and accept less,” said Phillips. “What’s worse is Rogers would rather exploit a loophole in Canada’s new federal anti-scab legislation to replace these workers, than negotiate in good faith. That shows a deep disrespect not only for our members, but for the intent of Parliament and all Canadians who supported this law.”
With negotiations scheduled to resume on Monday, the union continues to show its true colours while spotlighting the urgent need for a fair contract now, demanding that Rogers have a change of heart and resolve this dispute.
USW Local 1944 represents approximately 4,000 telecommunications workers across Canada, including technicians, customer service agents, clerical staff and other frontline workers who keep the country connected. The union is urging Rogers to return to the bargaining table with a serious offer that respects Abbotsford workers and addresses the long-standing injustices they face.
About the United Steelworkers
The USW represents 225,000 members in nearly every economic sector across Canada and is the largest private-sector union in North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.
Each year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of the union’s strong track record in creating healthier, safer and more respectful workplaces and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions.
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