TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 Meets with the Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services

On October 11, TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 President, Dave Eyjolfson, Executive Director, Katherine Johnson, and IFPTE Representative, Erin Spencer, participated in a meeting with the Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services, the Honorable Lisa Naylor.  The meeting was a result of TEAM’s outreach to the Minister’s office as part of the Local’s ongoing efforts and campaign to keep good telecommunications jobs in Manitoba and TEAM. 

During the meeting, President Eyjolfson spoke of the job loss that has occurred from TEAM and Manitoba since Bell Canada took over MTS in 2017 and committed to make Winnipeg the hub of the company’s western headquarters. Under Bell, over 1,000 jobs have been eliminated from the province and the TEAM membership, now down to under 450 members, has been cut in half.  TEAM stressed the importance and legacy of good telco jobs in the Manitoba economy for over 100 years. The parties discussed opportunities and challenges for the provincial government to include employment guarantees in its renewals of government service contracts with Bell Canada, and the Minister committed to considering doing so where possible.