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Bell Canada reverses contracting out of Wireless Home Internet installations

story_3_bellDecember 15, 2020 – 12:00 AM

December 15, 2020

OTTAWA – Following a years-long campaign, Bell workers secure the reversal of Wireless Home Internet (WHI) contracting-out in Ontario and Quebec.

“Bell’s Wireless Home Internet is the foundation of the next generation of Canada’s telecommunications network, and Unifor members are ready to build that infrastructure,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.

On Monday December 14, Unifor received confirmation from Bell Canada that the company has begun the process of repatriating all installation work performed by outside contractors working on WHI  projects in ON and QC.

This long-anticipated move will ensure that WHI installations will continue in-house by unionized workers in the two provinces. The union will continue to campaign for an end to contracting out in the Atlantic provinces.

“This reversal of this contracting-out proves the importance of all aspects of the union’s representation, from the bargaining table, to mobilization and even community outreach,” said Renaud Gagné, Unifor Québec Director. “Unifor members across the country added their voices and their time to demand that Bell bring the work back, and today the workers were heard.”

Unifor credits the strength and solidarity of Canada’s telecommunications workers with this win.

Employees of Bell Canada and Bell subsidiaries have long campaigned against contracting out and other forms of job erosion.

In 2018, Bell announced the rollout of its new Wireless Home Internet (WHI) service to bring high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses in rural areas, but quickly contracted out all installations. Bell’s WHI rollout plan in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic Canada includes 1 million locations.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

 

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Wishing all a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!!

Sisters and Brothers,

Local 1996-O Equity Committee and local Executive wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday season and all the best in the new year to you and your families.

christmas 2020

Local 1996-O Executive would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

New Years 2020

Lee,  Sanjay,  Brian,  Chris

image(s) source provided by Pixabay

pixabay.com

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BTS Membership Communication – WHI

BTS Information Bulletin -WHI

UPDATE ON WIRELESS HOME INTERNET (WHI) MARKET WORK

Brothers and Sisters,

Our Committee is pleased to inform you that Bell has confirmed with Unifor that they will be REPATRIATING their WIRELESS HOME INTERNET (WHI) market work. Bell Technical Solutions in  Ontario and Quebec will receive a significant amount of that work in the coming months as Bell releases their current contractor base moving forward.

This is great news for the Union and our bargaining unit as it represents a significant increase to our work load which will ultimately provide more hours of work for employees, both part-time and full-time and will hopefully drive further growth though hiring in the workplace which will lead to more upgrades and workforce stability in general.

As you know Unifor has been fighting for this work since the day Bell announced and executed their initial plans to roll this product line to a projected 1.2 million customers, utilizing non-unionized contractors across the board. Unifor, over the past two years working behind the scenes, as well as with our Committee and members across Canada have fought to bring this work back home where it belongs with unionized workers of the Bell Family. This announcement from Bell and Unifor is tremendously positive news for our bargaining unit in a year that has been fraught with issues and unrest, in addition to the current world Covid-19 Pandemic.

We have been informed that training on the WIRELESS HOME INTERNET (WHI) will commence relatively quickly as contractors in Ontario are phased out. The work is expected to officially transfer to Bell Technical Solutions in the month of March 2021 but we will likely assume some of the work before. We will advise locals as more information becomes available to us. Watch for similar announcements from the employer as well to stay informed .

This is fantastic news for us as the end of the year approaches, and without a doubt will signify a great start for 2021. In closing we would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a safe and happy 2020 /2021 holiday season.

In Solidarity

Your Bargaining Committee

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Unifor stands with India’s striking farmers

Unifor stands in solidarity with the farmers in India’s Punjab and Haryana states protesting the deregulation of agricultural markets.

At issue is the pending elimination of the guaranteed minimum price for agricultural products. Indian workers say that the deregulation of the industry will be devastating for the quality of life for farmers and have cascading effects across the Indian workforce as wages are driven downwards.

“Shame on India’s government for using a pandemic as an excuse to ram through draconian industrial reforms,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Farmers and their allies should be congratulated for taking a firm stance against deregulation.”

Protests against the new laws have spread to nation-wide blockades. In addition to driving down wages, small-scale farmers are concerned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reforms will overwhelmingly benefit large corporate-owned farm operations.

“Deregulation doesn’t work. Working people always lose when left to the whims of multinational corporations,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “Unifor is proud to stand with India’s farmers in their fight for economic justice.”

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Tell your MP and provincial representative now that Canada’s workers need emergency prescription drug coverage today before it’s too late.

Tell your MP and provincial representative now that Canada’s workers need emergency prescription drug coverage today before it’s too late.

While Bill C-213, the Canada Pharmacare Act is slowly making its way through Parliament, a fully implemented universal Pharmacare plan is still far away from a reality. In the meantime, workers, particularly in the hospitality sector, are at risk of losing access to potentially life-saving prescription drug coverage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We need a solution to this crisis now.

ADD YOUR VOICE HERE…