The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that Telus is offering voluntary severance packages to about 700 employees across Canada, 500 of whom are unionized. The Globe's Irene Galea writes that the latest job cuts target workers in Telus Business Solutions operations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, said Michael Phillips, president of United Steelworkers Local 1944. Those given offers include technicians that do installation and repair as well as call-centre agents who serve the company's business accounts. Among that group are 240 technicians in the company's National Business Delivery division that were not offered packages last February, Mr. Phillips said. At the time, Telus also offered 700 buyouts. In a statement, Telus said the offers were "fuelled by rapid transformation in our industry and the growing customer demand for self-serve solutions." Some technicians given offers were told that sales would become a larger component of their roles, or that they may be redeployed to call-centre roles, USW's Mr. Phillips said. Workers receiving those severance offers have until Jan. 21 to make their decisions. Analysts reacted positively to the news, saying it could help the share price recover.