MONTREAL – While shareholders will undoubtedly want to hear about who’s buying the company and when, the Canadian Telecommunications Employees’ Association will be protesting this morning at the Bell Canada Enterprises annual meeting of shareholders.
The union says it is protesting "the slashing of benefits for future pensioners and the outsourcing of jobs," according to its release.
"Bell’s strategy is clear: cutting costs at the expense of its employees, said Line Brisson, chair of the CTEA bargaining committee, in the release. "But the company won’t get back on track by slashing the working conditions of employees."
In 2005, clerical employees accepted wage freezes to help the company face the competition. In exchange, Bell had signed a memorandum of agreement on job security, explains the release.
"Bell Canada is taking all possible means to bypass the memorandum of agreement and increase outsourcing: reduced work hours, cutting temporary jobs, closing sites… Our members feel they have been cheated", added Brisson.
In 2006, the speech on the abusive use of outsourcing delivered by Danny Taurozzi, CTEA vice-president, before Michael Sabia, president of BCE, had been applauded by several shareholders, according to the newser.
"Once again, we will be there to speak on behalf of our members and denounce the unfair decisions of senior management. The shareholders must be told what’s going on", concluded Brisson.
