Unifor President Lana Payne, along with the union’s Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier and esteemed news anchor Kevin Newman, led a rally and march in Ottawa today in support of Bell employees. The rally was held just before Bell executives were scheduled to testify before the House of Commons heritage committee regarding recent layoffs and programming cuts. Unifor represents over 19,000 telecommunications workers at BCE Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Payne highlighted the union’s concerns regarding Bell’s decision to slash thousands of jobs while simultaneously increasing dividends to shareholders and moving telecommunications jobs offshore. She demanded accountability from Bell’s leadership, calling their actions shameful and emphasizing the impact on workers and Canadian communities.
On February 8, BCE, Canada’s largest telecommunications and media corporation, announced the elimination of 4,800 jobs, adding to the 1,300 jobs cut by Bell Media the previous June. This wave of layoffs, totaling 6,000 jobs in just eight months, coincided with record-high dividends to shareholders and substantial increases in CEO compensation.
Despite the gravity of these decisions, Bell executives postponed their appearance before the Canadian Heritage Committee for the second time, avoiding accountability for their actions. Meanwhile, Unifor members continue to face job losses, predominantly affecting customer service and clerical workers, with concerns raised about the composition of Bell’s Board of Directors.
Payne urged MPs to ask tough questions about the decision-making process behind the layoffs and the prioritization of shareholder profits over workers’ livelihoods. She emphasized the importance of preserving Canadian telecommunications jobs and investing in local and national news programs, which have suffered significant cuts under Bell’s leadership.
Daniel Cloutier, Unifor’s Quebec Director, echoed Payne’s sentiments, underscoring the need for Bell to fulfill its responsibility to workers and the communities it serves. He emphasized the impact of layoffs on individuals and families across the country and called for greater transparency from Bell’s leadership.
Kevin Newman, a veteran journalist, provided insights into the broader implications of Bell’s actions, particularly in the context of growing threats to information integrity and national security. He emphasized the role of quality journalism in combating misinformation and called on Bell to prioritize investment in newsrooms and investigative reporting.
In response to questions about government support for journalism, Payne emphasized the importance of holding corporations accountable for fulfilling their social contract and investing in essential services like news production. She called on Canadians to demand transparency and accountability from companies like Bell and to support initiatives aimed at preserving independent journalism.
As the rally concluded, Payne reiterated Unifor’s commitment to advocating for Canadian workers and defending the integrity of the telecommunications and media industries. She called on Bell to reconsider its priorities and prioritize the well-being of workers and communities over shareholder profits.