The B.C. Supreme Court granted a temporary injunction against Telus’ return-to-office mandate that would have forced some Ontario workers to relocate or lose their jobs.
The United Steelworkers union (USW) applied for the injunction on July 31st, and it was granted on August 8th. The injunction temporarily suspends Telus’ mandate, giving the union time to pursue worker relief through adjudication before an arbitrator.
The injunction will last for two months after an arbitrator is chosen, but it can be extended by agreement or another court order.
News broke about Telus’ return-to-office mandate in mid-July. The company’s new policy required workers to return to the office for three days per week. However, Telus shuttered a call centre based in Barrie, Ontario, leaving employees who had worked there stranded without an office.
Because of the return-to-office mandate, Telus gave those Ontario employees three options: relocate to Montreal, find other employment with Telus that will allow them to stay in the area, or be laid off with a compensation package. Additionally, Telus said employees who chose to relocate would receive financial support, while the various separation packages would include 18 months of wages and possible bonuses based on seniority.
According to the USW, the employees had a work-from-home model since 2020 and received little notice from Telus about the return-to-office change. The union also pointed out that Telus could easily have an Ontario office for the workers but is choosing not to.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
