- British Columbia ISP Telus is in day three of a Telecommunications Workers' Union strike, but a BC broadband wireless company is delighted by the action, calling it a blessing.
"This increase in activity is huge for us," says Dorian Banks, coo/cto at BC's MetroBridge Networks. "Now people will get a chance to see what broadband wireless is all about: highly reliable, widely available, symmetrical service at a competitive price," he says.
"This lockout will accelerate the adoption of broadband wireless in the Lower Mainland."
The TWU says Telus is blocking the union web site. Its Voices For Change!, has a posting stating, "when support is called they [Telus] claim not to be blocking access."
But, "Television station BCTV Global did a story on the 6:00 o'clock news on this issue," says the post. "Radio station CKNW also had as story on censoring TELUS customers, after receiving calls from numerous TWU members. Both media outlets are in British Columbia.
“In both cases, the company admitted to censoring TWU members and their customers.”
Voice says union members who use Telus can use the proxy http://vfc.proxy.pfak.org/.
Drew McArthur, Telus vp of corporate affairs, confirmed the blockage, but claims it’s because the site was carrying confidential "proprietary information" about Telus, but wouldn’t elaborate, says the Canadian Press, going on:
“He also said that, by posting photos of staff and managers crossing picket lines, the website threatened the safety of non-union employees. And he claimed the site was encouraging visitors to telephone Telus call centres and tie up lines with bogus concerns.”
Voices says On The Line: Walking the Picket Lines at TELUS has now been added to the site to, “display photo contributions by site visitors of TWU members proudly walking the picket line at TELUS locations in an effort to get a fair, revised collective agreement”. And so far, loopwash (pic upper right) seems to be doing all the posting.
Meanwhile, MetroBridge says customer enquiries have increased 15 fold since the labour dispute started, “and the company is expecting even more interest as the strike continues,”according to banks, who adds:
"MetroBridge has been fielding a lot of calls from panicked people ... on Friday, a small business started in their new office with no phone lines or ADSL. We got them a data connection over the weekend and VoIP for phones."
See:- MetroBridge Networks - MetroBridge rescues businesses hit by Telus strike, July 25, 2005 Canadian Press - Tensions mount as worker injured, lines cut as Telus strike enters third day, July 25, 2005
