Editing Telus Communications (section)

=== Labour dispute ===
After the Telus-BCTel merger, unionized employees voted to certify the [[Telecommunications Workers Union]] (TWU) as the sole bargaining agent for the expanded company's workforce. The TWU had previously been the union representing BCTel employees – it replaced the [[International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers]] (IBEW) in Alberta. A labour dispute between Telus and the TWU began after the previous contract, negotiated with BCTel before the Telus merger, expired at the end of 2000. After Telus made its final offer to the TWU it informed the union of its intention to bring an end to the dispute by unilaterally implementing its April 2005 offer to employees in [[Alberta]] and [[British Columbia]]. The next day the union went on strike in British Columbia while Telus locked out its unionized workers in Alberta, although (as is common in disputes where an employer attempts to unilaterally implement a new contract) the union consistently referred to the dispute as a "lockout."

On July 25, 2005, Telus blocked its Internet subscribers from accessing a website supporting striking union members. The company expressed concerns over content on the site, saying it identified employees crossing picket lines and encouraged disruptive behaviour,<ref name="CBC" /> while the union alleged it amounted to censorship.<ref name="CBC">[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/telus-cuts-subscriber-access-to-pro-union-website-1.531166 "Telus cuts subscriber access to pro-union website"], CBC News, July 24, 2005</ref><ref>Doctorow, Cory, [http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/24/phone-company-blocks.html "Phone company blocks access to telecoms union's website"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225195848/http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/24/phone-company-blocks.html |date=December 25, 2007 }} ''boingboing'', July 24, 2005</ref> The [[British Columbia Civil Liberties Association]] issued an official objection to the unilateral blocking on July 26, stating "Telus is leveraging its power as a telecommunications service provider to censor a specific group, shut down debate and limit the messages conveyed about the current labour dispute".<ref>[http://www.bccla.org/pressreleases/05telus.htm "BCCLA Denounces Blocking of Website by Telus"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703231057/http://www.bccla.org/pressreleases/05telus.htm |date=July 3, 2008 }}, ''BC Civil Liberties Association'' (press release), July 26, 2005</ref> An Alberta court injunction ordered the blocked website, Voices For Change, to remove postings of "Telus employee photos" and other "intimidating or threatening material". The site owner agreed to comply and Telus unblocked the website.<ref>[http://about.telus.com/cgi-bin/news_viewer.cgi?news_id=605&mode=2&news_year=2005 "Alberta court grants interim injunction against posting Telus employee photos"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727034812/http://about.telus.com/cgi-bin/news_viewer.cgi?news_id=605&mode=2&news_year=2005 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, ''Telus'' (Media Release), July 28, 2005</ref> Telus and the TWU ratified a tentative agreement on November 18, 2005, ending the dispute.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130115130929/http://www.teleclick.ca/2005/11/64-of-telus-workers-say-no-to-continued-labour-action/ "64% of Telus Workers Say No to Continued Labour Action"], ''Telecommunications Industry News'', November 20, 2005</ref>