Still Paying the Price of Tory Rule

In 1997, the provincial Conservative of the day sold off MTS - until then a crown corporation. That move definitely wasn't made with the best interests of the people who work at MTS - or use MTS services (that's just about all Manitobans) - in mind.

Since the sale, the number of Manitobans employed by MTS has dwindled - and the level of service provided to Manitoban's declined. The most recent example of that came on January 11. When Manitobans call 411 for assistance in the future, they will no longer be speaking to an MTS employee. MTS Allstream has announced that it will be outsourcing all 411 directory calls by April of this year. The decision of where the work will go has not yet been determined.

The company's move to contract out the 411 service affects 17 full time operator positions in Winnipeg and Brandon, although the company will take steps to move the affected operators to other areas of the company. Language in the collective agreement, secured through a lengthy lockout of the members in 1999, prevents MTS from laying any employees off if the company opts to contract out work.

"To the union, this is just one more example of Manitoba's homegrown telecommunications business trying to satisfy shareholders - many of whom do not reside in Manitoba - instead of ensuring either that Manitoba residents receive high level service or that decent full time jobs remain in this province," said Diane Shaver, President of Communications, Energy and Paper Workers Local 7.

"The company recently made promises that it wanted to concentrate on its "core business". If 411 Directory Service is not part of MTS' core business, I can only imagine what part of MTS' business it will shed itself of tomorrow", said Ms. Shaver. "This decision is short sighted and disappointing."