Toronto/Montreal – Unifor members at Bell (BCE.TO) and its subsidiaries are organizing to protest multi-million executive bonuses at the company’s upcoming AGM.

“Bell can expect our union to be vocal when the executives continue to cut good jobs while rewarding themselves with fat bonuses,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We are asking shareholders to examine the facts: more layoffs, a stunning drop in profits, and lucrative executive bonuses and we are asking they push back and demand better from the company’s C-suite and board of directors.”

The union wrote to 19,000 telecommunications workers at BCE and its subsidiaries as well as 2,100 members at Bell Media to encourage them to fully participate in the May 8, 2025, virtual annual general shareholder meeting.

The meeting agenda includes the election of board members, three shareholder proposals, and an advisory vote on executive compensation.

“We’re asking members to vote no on the Board’s approach to executive compensation. Doling out multi-million-dollar bonuses while you cut thousands of jobs is simply not something that Unifor members, as workers and as shareholders, can abide by. It’s reckless, disrespectful, and poor management by the Board,” said Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier.

In early 2024, Unifor launched the Shame on Bell campaign to call on the company to stop its contracting out and offshoring of telecom jobs, stop slashing Canadian newsrooms and reduce dividend payouts to reinvest in employee wellbeing, infrastructure, and job security.