ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – After weeks of delay and inaction, Rogers Communications is finally returning to the bargaining table with striking Abbotsford technicians from United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1944 tomorrow. While USW members are pleased to see Rogers agree to resume talks, they hope that this opportunity will be more than a performative gesture for executives and stakeholders and will lead to real progress and a fair agreement.
“Workers have been clear as Rogers’ last offer was overwhelmingly rejected,” said Michael Phillips, USW Local 1994 President. “The company needs to come to the table ready to move off their entrenched positions and bring forward a contract that respects the value of our members’ work.”
The striking technicians in Abbotsford are asking for equal treatment with their counterparts in Vancouver and Langley, where the work, responsibilities and customer expectations are identical.
“It’s the same job, the same work and customers across Metro Vancouver pay the same, so it’s only fair that our technicians earn the same too,” said Phillips.
As the dispute enters the one-month mark, Rogers continues using managers, including some brought in from outside the province to perform the work of striking union members, a tactic that undermines the spirit of federal anti-scab legislation and meaningful collective bargaining.
USW Local 1944 is pleased to see the federal NDP stepping up to address this issue, pledging to introduce an amendment to the legislation when Parliament resumes in September to close this loophole.
“This commitment sends a strong signal that the law must not allow employers to sidestep fair bargaining by deploying out-of-location managers as replacement workers. We welcome this support and call on Rogers to put the community and their customers first. We’re ready to get back to work and continue providing the services our communities rely on. But that won’t happen until Rogers comes to the table with real intent to bargain and reach a fair deal,” said Phillips.
The union is hopeful that tomorrow’s negotiations mark the beginning of meaningful movement toward resolving the strike and restoring services.
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.
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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