'It is a standard operating practice for us to offer voluntary separation programs in an effort to be fair and equitable'
Telecommunications giant TELUS has announced a new wave of voluntary separations offered to about 700 workers, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
The company is “forging ahead with its workforce reduction strategy” by offering this option to workers represented by the union, it says.
“This initiative, which is reportedly attributable to a decreased workload, raises serious questions about the future of quality jobs in Quebec and in the rest of Canada,” said Luc Pouliot, president of SQET-CUPE 5044. “Each buyout package represents a loss of invaluable know-how, which jeopardizes the company’s ability to offer good reliable service to its customers.”
According to CUPE, the layoffs include:
In August 2023, TELUS also announced a workforce reduction to the tune of 6,000, including 4,000 jobs in the main business. Among them, half were to be laid off while half were to be offered early retirement and voluntary departure packages, The Canadian Press previously reported.
TELUS pointed out that it has made significant investments in its technology that have enhanced the reliability and efficiency of its infrastructure, and that it is offering voluntary packages that exceed the requirements of the Canada Labour Code.
The packages also give employees the option to retire or pursue a career outside the company, according to a report from the Globe and Mail.
“It is a standard operating practice for us to offer voluntary separation programs to a broad number of team members in an effort to be fair and equitable to those in the impacted work areas,” said TELUS spokesperson Richard Gilhooley in an email, according to the report.
“We anticipate a very small number of the team members being canvassed will be interested in accepting a voluntary package and reserve the right to limit the number of departures,” he said.
In mid-2024, TELUS told the United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1944 that some 150 unionized call centre employees based in Ontario must relocate to Montreal by October or have their employment terminated with a severance package, according to the union.
CUPE also pointed out that TELUS receives “lucrative contracts along with federal and provincial public sector subsidies to support economic development and create jobs”.
“However, there seems to be no guarantee that this funding is actually being used to maintain stable and well-paying jobs in the country. The lack of transparency on the long-term consequences of these decisions must be called out.”
“Why is the federal government continuing to issue subsidies and contracts to companies that do not show a clear commitment to preserving local jobs?” questioned Pouliot.
