Bell Canada plans to cut 1,200 jobs as part of ongoing workforce reductions, drawing sharp criticism from Unifor, the union representing many of the company’s employees. The cuts come as Bell continues its expansion into the U.S. market, following a $7 billion acquisition of Ziply Fiber in November, according to Unifor.
Unifor National President Lana Payne called the job cuts a “damaging stunt” aimed at temporarily reducing costs, arguing they come at the expense of Canadian workers.
“Bell cannot keep cutting jobs every year and expect the ship to turn itself around,” Payne said. “Canada is potentially facing a trade war with the U.S., and Bell has chosen to once again leave Canadian workers unemployed in part to satisfy its move into the American market.”
Bell has indicated it will meet with union representatives this week to discuss voluntary separation packages and retirement incentives. The company did not provide further details on which departments or locations would be affected by the latest round of layoffs.
The cuts add to a series of reductions at Bell over the past two years, including 4,800 job losses in February 2024, 1,300 in June 2023, and additional layoffs at Bell Media and Expertech.
Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier said ongoing workforce reductions are eroding Bell’s ability to serve customers.
“Job reductions bleed talent and increase stress and anxiety among Bell workers,” Cloutier said. “The company loses by letting go of experienced workers, and the customer loses by relying on a smaller and smaller team of Bell employees to build and deliver services.”
Bell has faced increasing pressure from Unifor, which launched its “Shame on Bell” campaign in early 2024, calling on the company to halt outsourcing and offshoring of telecom jobs, reinvest in infrastructure, and prioritize job security.
Payne said Bell needs to reconsider its approach to workforce management.
“The question that we’re all asking is, ‘where does it end?’” she said. “At some point, someone at Bell has got to put forward a long-term plan that actually includes investing in Canada’s workers again.”
Unifor represents more than 320,000 private-sector workers across Canada, including nearly 55,000 in Quebec.
