With unchecked corporate greed from giant telecom companies, NDP calls for support for telecom workers

OTTAWA — On Wednesday, NDP Labour critic Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie) and deputy Labour critic Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre) stood with the President of United Steelworkers Local 1944, Donna Hokiro, to demand the Liberals to protect Canadian jobs and swiftly implement anti-scab legislation as big telecom companies continue to offshore jobs, despite being given federal money, and use replacement workers to weaken workers bargaining power.

“Telecom workers help Canadians connect through cell phones, internet, and television. They deserve a government that has their back and not let greedy corporations take advantage of them,” said Boulerice. “The Liberals have left corporate greed unchecked, and now workers are paying the price. The NDP will keep fighting to give workers the protections and bargaining power they deserve.”

This year, Rogers employees were locked out by the company, which could have been prevented if anti-scab legislation had been implemented. In addition, Telus has started to cut 4,000 Canadian jobs across the country despite receiving federal procurement contracts. New Democrats and Steelworkers are urging the federal government to take action to protect Canadian jobs and stop the corporate greed of big telecom companies.

“Here is a group of workers in a federally regulated industry that the government could stand up for and tell big CEOs that if they receive government money, they need to start investing in Canadians and Canadian jobs,” said Green. “It’s shameful they’re leaving workers to fend for themselves while big telecom companies see sky-high profits. That’s why the NDP is standing shoulder to shoulder with workers today. Canadians are paying some of the highest telecom costs in the world.

“New Democrats are calling for the government to protect and ramp up competition in the telecom sector in Canada and to put a price cap on basic cellphone plans – so Canadians can get better access at better prices.”

“The government spends more than a billion dollars a year on phone and internet bills internally," said Hokiro. "None of that money should go to companies that treat workers poorly or offshore Canadian jobs. We just want to make sure that neither our employers, nor our government forgets about us workers in the process.”