Union Opposes Preferential Treatment for Verizon

BURNABY, BC, Aug. 14, 2013 /CNW/ - The Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU), representing TELUS and Shaw workers across Canada, opposes the federal government's plan to hand Verizon Communications Inc. a windfall entry into Canada's telecommunications sector.

"Tempting voters with the lure of cheaper cell phone bills seems to be Mr. Harper's plan, but it's a mirage. There is no guarantee of lower prices. It is a complete manipulation of the Canadian public." says TWU National President Lee Riggs.

"Instead, Verizon will be able to easily swing into the lucrative urban markets, ignore rural communities and Canadian consumers and workers will be no further ahead," says Riggs.

"Our members have built a national network from coast to coast to coast and they work hard every day to provide Canadians across this country with quality service. But to have a government policy that gives Verizon preferential terms to enter the Canadian wireless market and lets it piggyback on the networks that our members have built just doesn't make sense." says Riggs.

"Telecommunications plays an important and vital role in Canada's economic development and the federal government should think very carefully before allowing such sweeping changes in Canada's telecommunications sector," says Riggs.

"Verizon is not some little start-up. It is more than three times the size of TELUS, Rogers and Bell combined, but for some reason the Harper government still wants to give it a free ride. Canadians should be gravely concerned about the potential devastating impact this type of flawed government policy can have on Canadian consumers, workers, their families and their communities," says Riggs.

About Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU)

The Telecommunications Workers Union represents 12,800 members working in telecommunications, cable TV and call centre locations in Canada.

For more information about the Telecommunications Workers Union, please visit www.twu-stt.ca

SOURCE: Telecommunications Workers Union