Telus Strike Is Over

By 250 News

Last weekend's local T.W.U. rally that drew 200 Telus workers and supportors

Members of the Telecommunications Workers Union will start heading back to work on Monday, after voting 64-percent in favour of the latest contract offer.

Local T.W.U. rep, Ron Williams, says "In the conversations I've had here with people, I suspect the local vote went pretty close to what the national vote went -- the same kind of percentage."  

He says, "It's one of those situations were nobody's that happy with the new collective agreement.  I guess the majority of members figured it was time to go back to work and, I guess that's true here, in Prince George, as well."

Telus has said it will begin recalling some employees for Monday, with all 14-thousand to be back on the job within the next two weeks.  Williams says, "We hope that it's an orderly return to work and that everybody goes back, hopefully, before that two week period."  The company has up to 72-hours to start contacting people.

Approximately 300 Telus workers have been off the job in Prince George since July.  Monday marks four months, to the day, since job action began.

The new five-year deal will see workers receive wage hikes of either two or 2.5-percent in 2005 and 2006, and two-percent in 2007 and beyond.

A proposed agreement reached earlier last month was rejected by 53 ballots.

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