Representing 1,300 Manitoba Workers

Black Ribbons Mark Sad Anniversary

In January 1997, the Tory government of the day gave away our profitable publicly-owned MTS service to the highest bidder. We have been paying the price ever since.

To mark the 10th anniversary on this sad event, on Monday, January 8, CEP Local 7 distributed black ribbons to their members for them to wear in memory of what CEP members and all Manitobans have lost as a result of that sale.

When MTS become a private company, Manitobans lost control of their communications system and saw the profits that system generated flow out of the province. Ten years ago, MTS employees represented by CEP Local 7 worked in 23 locations throughout the province, providing excellent telecommunications service at a competitive rate. Now, they work in three locations. Ten years ago Manitoba's telephone rates were the lowest in the country - now they are second highest.

Until 1997 MTS was a crown corporation held by Manitobans. Today the majority of MTS shares are held outside the province, sending money that would previously have stayed in Manitoba to help the local economy to other places in the world.

CEP Local 7 has seen its members lose good-paying jobs as MTS downsized to become more "efficient." In the past year alone, MTS has shed 325 jobs. Additionally MTS sold off its Media division to Montreal-based Yellow Pages Group which resulted in the immediate loss of 22 jobs. Most of these jobs were service-based jobs - meaning Manitobans are waiting longer but paying more for their telecommunications service.

CEP Local 7 members have seen colleagues and friends "downsized" or take early retirement in order to improve the bottom line. They also know that the cuts resulted in reduced service to all Manitobans.

All of this was done because the Progressive Conservative government led by then Premier Gary Filmon argued that MTS had to privatize in order to compete. Yet Saskatchewan's Crown agency SaskTel has managed to not only compete but offer state of the art communications products, often before MTS brings them to market. Filmon now sits on MTS's board of directors. Filmon's chief of staff at the time, and the advisor on the initial public offering of MTS shares, was Hugh McFayden, now the Progressive Conservative leader.

"We continue to see job loss in Manitoba because of privatization," said Diane Shaver, President of Local 7. "Our members are convinced the next step is the sale of MTS to a telecommunications giant."

"It's a sad anniversary that only happened because of the ideological agenda of the Conservatives," said Wendy Sol, CEP Administrative Vice-President for the West. "SaskTel is proving that a Crown Corporation can compete and innovate and keep good jobs within the province."

By wearing the ribbon being distributed by Local 7, MTS workers honoured the accomplishments of CEP members past and present, and mourning the political decision that has cost all Manitobans for all time.