Telus, a leading telecommunications company in Canada, recently made a decision that has affected around 150 call centre employees in Ontario. The employees were informed that they would need to relocate, find another role within the company, or face layoffs by October.

United Steelworkers Local 1944, representing these Telus employees, expressed concerns about this decision. They mentioned that employees were given the option to work in Montreal but viewed this as a “backdoor termination” strategy aimed at reducing the Telus workforce.

This move is part of a larger reorganization effort that will require approximately 1,000 call centre employees across the country to return to the office three days a week starting in September. Unfortunately, Ontario-based agents will not have a local office to return to due to the closure of the Barrie location, which housed the Ontario contact centre. These workers have been working from home since 2020.

Telus spokeswoman Brandi Merker explained that the closure followed a thorough review of their real estate. She mentioned that Telus has been focusing on evolving their customer service by offering digital and self-serve options to decrease call volumes.

Employees who choose to relocate will receive financial support, and Telus is offering a voluntary separation package that exceeds Canada Labour Code requirements. However, Michael Phillips, President of United Steelworkers Local 1944, criticized the offer as “disingenuous” and stated that legal options are being explored due to the lack of notice provided about this change.

Last year, Telus announced job cuts of 6,000 positions as part of their efforts to adapt to changes in the industry. They cited regulatory and competitive challenges as reasons for these adjustments. Additionally, Telus has been incorporating generative AI into its customer service tools like troubleshooting on its website.

Phones Canada remains committed to providing high-quality telecommunications services while ensuring the well-being of its employees during organizational changes like these. Stay tuned for more updates on how we continue to serve our customers with excellence in this ever-evolving industry.