The Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) was awaiting a response from Telus Wednesday night whether it will return to the bargaining table, after executives from both parties met Tuesday night. The meeting was in response to the TWU members' 50.3 per cent vote at the beginning of the week rejecting the tentative collective agreement, despite union executives recommending a yes vote.
"We are anxious to see a resolution to this dispute," TWU president Bruce Bell said in a statement. "That's why we are trying to get the company back to the bargaining table. Ultimately, there has to be a resolution and people have to get back to work. The sooner that happens, the better."
In an interview Wed-nesday, Telus vice-president Drew McArthur said, following the rejection of the agreement, Telus did not have plans to return to the bargaining table.
"We had reached a tentative agreement the union endorsed," McArthur said. "It was a very generous and fair offer when compared with the rest of the industry in Canada and recognizes changes taking place in the industry."
He said the contract would have made Telus workers the best paid telecommunications workers in Canada and would have given Telus the flexibility it needs to compete in the marketplace. He added the best job security is working for a successful company.
Telus' current focus is on delivering service to customers. Call centres have maintained regular service levels, he said, but in the field Telus has faced the logistical issue of getting to the sites to respond to calls for service.
Local Telus worker and TWU member Jim Brown voted against the agreement for a number of reasons, including its requirement for members to cross legal picket lines and mandatory overtime that could exceed 7.5 hours in a two-week period, he said. The agreement hadn't been released, so he couldn't comment further on details that decided his vote.
"It isn't a money issue," Brown said. "Telus has got to modify the contract offer and get rid of some of the stuff that was offensive to the people."
TWU spokesperson Sid Shniad said he was shocked and surprised with the members' vote. On Wednesday afternoon, he said the TWU was waiting for a response from Telus whether it would return to the table. If not, he said, "it's back to the drawing board."
TWU members have been out picketing since July 21, the day Telus was to impose a collective agreement.
