TELUSCorporateCitizenship&Communication510WGeorgiaStVancouver, BCCanadaV6B0M3 10June2024 StandingSenateCommitteeonSocial Affairs, ScienceandTechnologytheSenateof CanadaOttawa, OntarioCanadaK1A0A4 RE: TELUS’ commentsonC-58 Dear Senators, TELUSunequivocallyopposesBill C-58. TELUScallsontheSenatetopreservethecurrent bargainingframeworktoensurebothservicecontinuityandprotect Canada’sresilient telecommunicationsindustry.

Thecurrent draft of Bill C-58attemptstosolveaproblemthat doesnot exist, demonstratesafundamental misunderstandingof theroleof continuityworkers, andsignificantlyincreasestherisksassociatedwithnetworkoutages. Perhapsmost importantly, theamendmentsmadeintheHouseof CommonsshouldconcernSenators. Removingtheabilitytoassignemployeesbetweenworkplacesduringalabour disputeeliminatesacrucial sourceof servicecontinuityforCanadians. Thecurrent bargainingagreement that existsbetweenTELUSanditsunionizedworkforcehasresultedinnation-leadingpay, benefits, andworkingconditions.

TELUS’ unionizedemployeesareupto40% 1 better compensatedcomparedtotheir counterpartsinequivalent rolesat othercompanies. Thisisacommontrendfor unionizedemployeesinrailway, air transportation,broadcasting, andport services 2 : thecompensation, benefits, andjobsecurityof unionizedemployeesinthefederal sector isvirtuallyunparalleled.

WhiletheworkperformedbyTELUS’ unionizedteammembersiscrucial for daytodayservices, continuityworkersserveaverypreciseandnarrowfunction: tomaintaincritical StatisticsCanada, CollectiveBargainingCoverageRate, 1997to2021:https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/14-28-0001/2020001/article/00015-eng.htm; StatisticsCanada, Averageweeklyearnings,averagehourlywagerateandaverageusual weeklyhoursbyunionstatus, annual, Table14-10-0134-01:https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410013401 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034001, NOCcodes65and72.

TELUSCorporateCitizenship&Communication510WGeorgiaStVancouver, BCCanadaV6B0M3 operations. TELUS’ unionizedworkforceisresponsiblefor ensuringour networksareactive24/7; repairingdamagetoinfrastructure, restoringaccesstowirelesscites, managingcentraloffices, respondingtocustomer calls, andahost of other crucial dailyactivities. Withor withoutcontinuityworkers, TELUScannot replicatetheworkperformedbythese4,000+TELUSteammembers Asclimatedisastersbecomemorefrequent andmoredestructive, connectivityhasbecomeevenmoreimportant tothosewhomaybeimpactedbythesedisruptions, andthosewhoarecalledinasfirst responders.

Thisisdramaticallycompoundedinthe187rural, remote, andIndigenouscommunitieswhereTELUSisthesoleprovider, astheBill preventsusfromredeployingmanagement resources. TheHouseof CommonsamendedC-58toprevent employersredeployingmanagementemployeesbetweenregions, includingthosecompletelyunservedduringaworkstoppage.Theseamendmentswill leadtoprolongedandmoreimpactful outages, asthissituationwouldpresent employerswithunattainablestandardstomeet andunderminethegovernment’simportant goal of enhancingnetworkresilience. Without continuityworkers, therewill bemoreserviceinterruptionsandtheoutageswill belonger.

Thevast majorityof Canadians(95%) support theprotectionof theseservicesduringastrikeorlockout, andnearlythreeinfour (74%) expressthat delaysinrestoringtelecomservicesduringclimateeventsareunacceptable. 3 SomehavepointedtotheproposedMaintenanceof ActivitiesclausesinC-58asapanaceaforindustry’sconcerns. Theseprovisionsfall well short of safeguardingeventhemost basiclevel ofservicesandfunctionsCanadiansrelyon, asthecontinuedprovisionof thoseservicesdoesnotmeet theunreasonablystringent thresholdset bytheCanadaIndustrial RelationsBoard. TELUSbelievestheSenateshouldnot proceedwithC-58.

Inthealternative, theCommitteeshouldremovetheworkplace-relatedamendmentsfromtheHouseof Commonstoensureindustrycanmaintainabasiclevel of operationsandensurecommunicationsnetworksstayupandrunningfor Canadians. Without theabilitytomoveemployeesbetweenlocationstomaintainabasiclevel of service, thecritical servicestelecommunicationscompaniesprovideareat risk.

TheSenatecanhelpprotect thesecritical serviceswiththefollowingamendment: Proposedamendment tosection9(4): “Deleteclause(c).” 3 https://nanos.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-2577-Canada-Telecoms-Populated-Report-with-tabs.pdf, p.3 TELUS Corporate Citizenship & Communication W Georgia St Vancouver, BC Canada V6B 0M3 The Committee should also adopt, in their entirety, the amendments proposed by FETCO.

TELUS has, for the convenience of the Committee, included as an annex to this letter its comments to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities on the matter of C-58. Sincerely, Jill Schnarr Rhys Sandner Chief Social Innovation and Public Policy Communications Officer