Union Applauds Newly Opened FortisBC Customer Care Centre

January 17, 2012

In-Sourcing Success Story Brings 300 Family Supporting Jobs to Prince George and Burnaby

Representatives from the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, local 378 (MoveUP) were pleased to attend the opening of FortisBC’s new customer care centre in Burnaby today. Between the new centre and another in Prince George (opening this Thursday, January 19), 300 new full-time equivalent jobs have been added to these communities. MoveUP represents workers at FortisBC, including at the new customer care centres.

MoveUP helped FortisBC (then Terasen Gas) succeed with their 2009 application to the BC Utilities commission to bring customer care jobs back in-house. Previously FortisBC’s customer contact and billing operations were outsourced to an external service provider. The utility was eager to move away from an outsourcing model plagued by inefficiencies, expense, and declines in customer service.

“This customer care centre clearly shows that Canadian companies and Canadian workers can compete favourably with the rest of the world,” said MoveUP president David Black. “And by competing we bolster our communities and local economies with well-paying, family supporting union jobs.”

Black went on to thank FortisBC: “As a Canadian company employing Canadian workers FortisBC is making a commitment to the communities in which we do business and in which we work.”

Black admitted the road to common ground wasn’t always easy for the union and the employer. But both sides were committed to a successful outcome for the benefit of both the company and the workforce. “Today is the fruition of those efforts and that commitment on behalf of both organizations,” said Black.

MoveUP represents workers throughout B.C.’s energy industry, including BC Hydro, Accenture Business Services for Utilities, Fortis BC, and many others.

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Media contact: Sage Aaron 604-317-6153