Letter to Bell & Bell Craft Units and Local Unions
April 27, 2020
To: Local Union Presidents & Unit Chairs: Bell & Bell Craft Units
Subject: Update n WTTH Installations
Sisters and Brothers,
As many of you are well aware, the President of Bell Canada put out a release last week indicating that Bell would be ramping up the installation of WHI to 137,000 customers.
This move outraged members, local executives and our national union. This is the specific work that we have been campaigning to repatriate and continue to insist should be done by Unifor members working for Bell Canada.
With this information, Unifor National President Jerry Dias reached out to the Vice President of Bell, Bernard Leduc to discuss our concerns and express frustration on behalf of Unifor members.
While there have been no layoffs at Bell, there are significant numbers of our members working reduced hours, undesirable shifts and performing call centre work as a result of the overseas call centres being down.
Jerry shared your frustration, and expressed to Leduc that members have stepped up and delivered for Bell throughout this pandemic to serve the customers and keep Canadians connected during this unprecedented time. It was clearly conveyed that this continued contracting out of residential installations is not conducive to the kind of respectful cooperation both parties have been working toward during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
It was agreed that conversations regarding our concerns would be taken up with senior leadership at Bell, including President Mirko Bibic and the company would get back to Jerry in the coming days.
Sisters and Brothers, you have been there for Bell during this crisis, we have conveyed your concerns in the strongest of terms and expect more from Bell in return for the flexibility and commitment our members have shown during the crisis.
Please know that we are continuing to follow up and find a resolve.
In solidarity,
CHRIS MACDONALD ASSISTANT TO THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT
JOHN CALUORI ASSISTANT TO THE QUEBEC DIRECTOR