OTTAWA — Calling it a win for unionized Bell workers, Unifor today announced it received confirmation yesterday from Bell Canada that the company is reversing its policy of contracting out Wireless Home Internet (WHI) installations in Ontario and Quebec.
This follows a years-long campaign (which Cartt.ca wrote about here, here and here) in which Unifor called for Bell to stop using outside contractors for the rollout of its WHI technology, in what the union termed a form of job erosion.
“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,” reads Unifor’s press release.
“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, in the release.
In an emailed statement, Bell spokesperson Marc Choma said: “We’re pleased we were able to work with Unifor to find the flexibility necessary to bring this WHI work in-house. WHI is a unique Bell technology focused on bringing broadband Internet access to smaller towns and rural communities.”
Bell has accelerated its WHI rollout, on its way to covering 1 million rural households with the technology.
Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, representing 315,000 workers in many sectors of the economy.
