Bell Canada’s parent company is eliminating more than 700 jobs as part of restructuring efforts that began last year, with one-third of those employees being union members.
BCE Inc. confirmed that of the 690 cuts, about 230 roles were unionized; those employees would be offered voluntary separation packages.
“The reductions represent approximately 1% of BCE’s total workforce,” Bell said in an email to the Toronto Sun.
“Organizational changes began late last year to better align the team structure with our strategy, and the current workforce reductions continue that work,” the statement continued.
“These changes are part of our ongoing business operations and reflect several initiatives, including the migration of customers to a more resilient, easier-to-maintain fibre network and ongoing operating efficiencies.”
Last October, BCE unveiled its three-year strategic plan “to drive sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value,” noting specifically that by 2028, it was expected to save $1.5 billion in costs “through company-wide transformation and continued focus on operational efficiencies.”
The company noted it would continue to invest in “key areas that drive business growth, creating hundreds of new jobs across Canada.”
Bell Employees on the Chopping Block in Recent Years
Similarly, last November, Bell slashed 690 jobs, with 650 non-unionized managerial roles eliminated and another 40 jobs cut at its Bell Media subsidiary. That downsizing represented less than 2% of Bell’s total workforce, and less than 1% of the Bell Media team. At the time, the company called it a “difficult but necessary decision.” No unionized employees were laid off during November’s shakeup. In Monday’s layoffs, Bell Media was not impacted.
In 2024, BCE slashed 9% of its workforce, affecting about 4,800 jobs, in a move that also saw it dump dozens of its radio stations and end many television newscasts. That came after the elimination of around 1,300 positions (about 3% of its workforce at the time) in June 2023.
Faking It Doesn’t Always Mean You Make It
Earlier this year, it was reported that BCE axed a handful of employees who abused the company’s attendance policy, which requires employees to be in the office three days a week — by faking their workplace attendance.
“Following an internal review, BCE terminated employment in a small number of individual cases for clear violations of our code of conduct,” BCE said in a statement to the Toronto Sun. “These cases involved deliberate and repeated falsification of workplace attendance, including entering the workplace to record attendance and then leaving the premises, also known as ‘swipe and go.’”
BCE didn’t say how many workers lost their jobs. “In each case, there was a thorough investigation and individuals were presented with clear evidence of their misconduct,” the company said. “The majority of individuals admitted to deliberate and repeated falsification of workplace attendance.”
