Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

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Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby kal » Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:05 pm

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Shaw job cuts

Postby rtirdnewsguy » Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:32 pm

From Global Calgary website

January 30, 2018 11:48 am Updated: January 30, 2018 11:55 am
Shaw Communications offering buyouts to 6,500 Shaw and Freedom Mobile employees

CALGARY – Shaw Communications Inc. has launched a voluntary buyout program aimed at 6,500 employees, including those at Freedom Mobile.

The Calgary-based company has sent notices to the targeted staff and expects about 10 per cent to take the offer.

The voluntary program will be open until Feb. 14.


Shaw has one of Canada’s biggest cable and internet operations, primarily in western Canada, where it competes head-on with Telus Corp.

Shaw president Jay Mehr says the job cuts are part of a multi-year initiative to refocus the company’s operations.

“This is a program that is intended to reduce our workforce while not penalizing employees for our operational transformation. As we reinvent our customer delivery model to be more digital, online, or e-care, we’re very pleased to offer generous packages to our team members throughout the organization who have built this company,” Mehr said.

It bought Freedom Mobile in 2016, transforming Shaw into the country’s fourth-largest wireless company, and recently announced plans to close a call centre in Windsor, Ont., with the loss of about 130 jobs.

“Our agents in contact centres and our technicians will still be able to deal with more complex questions and situations, but we are committed to listening better to our customers and changing our operating model to better suit their preferences for service when they want and how they want it,” Mehr said in a statement.

The cable and telecom company also owns a 38 per cent stake in Corus Entertainment, which bought the Global television network and some specialty TV channels from Shaw in 2016.
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Re: Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby Coolcat » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:06 pm

A lot of this is probably a product of so many people 'cutting the cord'. Cable isn't the cash cow it used to be. Will be interesting to see if any of this trickles down to Corus.
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Re: Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby kal » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:10 pm

Cord-cutting on the TV side is a factor but it is increasingly set off by Internet-only service, or say skinny TV and Internet service. I believe that the rate of increase in cord cutting has begun to drop, and we may eventually see a decrease in year-over-year cord cutting numbers. Streaming and OTA TV are not for everyone and there are numerous here-today, gone-tomorrow streaming solutions.
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Re: Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby Richard Skelly » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:24 pm

No doubt customer-service longtimers will participate. One hopes that Shaw will shuffle staff such that there’s no net decline in reps manning the phones and email complaints units.

Nothing tempts subscribers to switch carriers or cut cords than interminable delays in getting problems handled.
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Re: Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby kal » Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:56 pm

I must say that over the past couple of years Shaw's customer service has tremendously improved. i have no complaints there. And there was no arm-twisting when I phoned to switch from full-service TV down to $25 basic. None whatsoever. I don't think that would be the case at the other providers, based on what I've been reading of late.
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Re: Breaking... Shaw Communications announces mass buyouts

Postby kal » Wed Jan 31, 2018 1:47 pm

More on the "grim" situation at Shaw, or rather "grim" mood amongst employees...

https://mobilesyrup.com/2018/01/31/shaw-employees-say-atmosphere-is-grim-following-massive-buyout-offer/
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