Rogers Offers Exit Packages to 10,000 Employees

TORONTO - Rogers Communications Inc. is offering voluntary departure packages to about 10,000 employees as the telecom giant moves to cut costs amid slowing industry growth.

The company says certain teams across its business units and corporate functions are eligible for the program, which allows employees to opt for a buyout or retirement package. "We are taking steps to adjust our cost structure to reflect the business realities of the current environment", a Rogers spokesperson said.

Not all employees are included. The company says unionized workers are not eligible, and some groups, including on-air talent and employees working on Sportsnet productions, are excluded. Staff at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and the Toronto Blue Jays are also not part of the voluntary buyout program.

The changes come as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) tries to foster competition and investment by allowing smaller carriers to use larger networks for a fee, while building their own infrastructure over time. But Rogers and other telecoms are responding by refusing to expand networks just to accommodate competition.
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