Discussions

Wow... just....wow. That was an interesting read. Thanks !

I this this was a good read but based on the sasktel website a basic phone is more than this although still cheaper.  
https://www.sasktel.com/wps/wcm/connect/content/home/home-phone/home-phone-service/#section3

Keep in mind that the article was penned by an economist for CUPE and was originally published on a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but both are socialist supporters and like big governments.

Not sure why mts salaries bother you. They are a private company & if their board of directors thought the pay was too much they would change it. As for Filmon's fee, he has been on the board for almost 10 years so divide by ten and that really isn't out of line

Crash said "Not sure why mts salaries bother you. They are a private company & if their board of directors thought the pay was too much they would change it. As for Filmon's fee, he has been on the board for almost 10 years so divide by ten and that really isn't out of line "

I would have thought that MTS salaries were a concern if they were directly impacting the cost of the product to the consumer?! Can't see how they wouldn't.

Puffwad said "    Crash said "Not sure why mts salaries bother you. They are a private company & if their board of directors thought the pay was too much they would change it. As for Filmon's fee, he has been on the board for almost 10 years so divide by ten and that really isn't out of line " I would have thought that MTS salaries were a concern if they were directly impacting the cost of the product to the consumer?! Can't see how they wouldn't. "

If you think myself price is too high than you are free to seek services somewhere else (bell.fido,Rogers,westman,netset ect

Have to agree that this just doesn't sit right. I know it's common practice to reward your friends but that doesn't make it o.k.  
As for $1.4 over 10 yrs. not "being out of line" - really, what does sitting on a Board of Directors really entail that is worth over $100,000 a year? I know lots of people who have real jobs that would love to earn that.  
And don't forget the perks that come with these appointments.  

I'm just going to add this and you can make of it what you want.  
 
Since 1993, when I first started hearing murmurs about the possible future privatization of MTS, my basic "landline" phone bill has increased by over 400 percent. Most of that increase occurred after MTS was privatized. It should be noted that we have not had a 400 percent increase in the inflation rate since 1993.  
 
Also, for some reason, MTS insists on mailing out two separate bills every month, instead of putting the phone and internet on one bill. While this may be good for Canada Post, it's certainly not very cost effective, in my opinion.

TEN said "Thank you Nordberg. Some people just seem to miss or ignore the point of the OP to try to make it seem all right.   And Triplethreat, thanks also for pointing out that $140,000.00 per year for a part-time job does seem a little rediculus, at least in my world. Not sure what world Crash lives in but it seems reality escapes him/her at times. "

When the conservatives sold MTS they said it woul benefit the people of MB. but it seems the ones that benefited were Gary Filmon and a few other conservatives who sat on the board and also received stock options.

GhOsTID said "To people who are shocked to find that SaskTel doesn't have basic phone service for $8 a month the article said it was $8/27% lower than MTS. Mind you I'm not sure which actual pricings they used considering MTS doesn't even show basic service on their site but $28.54(Sasktel basic + $8) seems high even even for MTS. "

Sasktel home phone is cheaper than MTS. https://www.sasktel.com/wps/wcm/connect/content/home/home-phone/home-phone-service/

Triplethreat said "I'm just going to add this and you can make of it what you want.     Since 1993, when I first started hearing murmurs about the possible future privatization of MTS, my basic "landline" phone bill has increased by over 400 percent. Most of that increase occurred after MTS was privatized. It should be noted that we have not had a 400 percent increase in the inflation rate since 1993.     Also, for some reason, MTS insists on mailing out two separate bills every month, instead of putting the phone and internet on one bill. While this may be good for Canada Post, it's certainly not very cost effective, in my opinion. "

Yes it is true we have not had the inflation rate. We have though had a increase of services provided.  
 
The basic landline is pretty much dead anyways. As far as the article there was some eye openers there.  
 
I will say this. Corporate tax comparisons etch ignores one fact. Any and all buildings and such owned by sasktel pays zip for property taxes. That makes a impact on many communities.  
 
Other costs that MTS pays such as fuel costs etc come out of a private companies pocket taxes included. The Manitoba fuel tax paid by MTS goes into our coffers.  
 
Sasktel gets a free ride there.  
 
The separate bills are a needed evil. I have not had a Mts landline for a while now. I only use them for the internet and TV .  

Anyone can make the costs show them what they want to:  
 
Sasktel - basic service $21.45 + $23 for unlimited long distance  
 
MTS - $42 for basic with unlimited long distance and four additional calling features  
 
 
MTS looks like a better deal.

Bob George said "Anyone can make the costs show them what they want to:     Sasktel - basic service $21.45 + $23 for unlimited long distance     MTS - $42 for basic with unlimited long distance and four additional calling features       MTS looks like a better deal. "

You can get long distance plans with Sasktel for $0.05 per minute in Canada and USA.

Whatever one thinks about the good/bad of privatization, I know one thing - the only businesses that get privatized are the ones that make profit (nobody would buy if it didn't). And if it makes profit, it benefits the public when it's a public company (ie. $$ available to government so IN THEORY they could tax less). If it's private, the profit does much less to benefit the public (the taxes they pay are less than the direct profit into government revenue).  
 
Yes, this is the 'perfect world' view of public companies and they don't always work that way. But the problem then is to get them to work better for the public, not to privatize for the benefit of a few. $100,000+ for part time 'work' indeed.

Whiskers said "    Bob George said "Anyone can make the costs show them what they want to:     Sasktel - basic service $21.45 + $23 for unlimited long distance     MTS - $42 for basic with unlimited long distance and four additional calling features       MTS looks like a better deal. " You can get long distance plans with Sasktel for $0.05 per minute in Canada and USA. "

Oh, so to get at least 4 features and a base phone, you'd pay $21.45 + $5 per feature, or $10 for 10 features...$31.95.  
 
At 5 cents per minute, your first 200 minutes of long distance would make the plan cheaper than Manitoba. After that MTS is cheaper.  
 
Thanks for giving me another example!

I love seeing these opinion pieces posted as real news. 8 dollars a month only missed the real price by 15 plus dollars monthly.  
 
I wonder if any of that story was true.  
 
The OP's title was on the money, fascinating STORY.....  
 
 
 
Edited by loeog, 2015-06-16 19:05:55