Bell Canada Under Fire for Layoffs Conducted Over Virtual Meetings

Telecommunications giant Bell Canada faces criticism after laying off hundreds of employees through impersonal virtual meetings, according to Unifor, the union representing the affected workers. 

Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, condemned the way the terminations were handled in a press release, calling it "beyond shameful."  

The layoffs, which reportedly impacted over 400 employees, were conducted via short, 10-minute video calls.

Many of the fired workers were long-time Bell employees, leaving them shocked and humiliated. 

"These members have been living in dread of a meeting invite to find out they've lost their job since Bell announced the termination of thousands of jobs almost six weeks ago," said Unifor National President Lana Payne in the press release.

"Our members, who have devoted years of service to this telecoms and media giant, are being repaid with pink slips."

The impersonal nature of the virtual meetings has sparked outrage, with the union accusing Bell of lacking empathy and respect for its employees.

Unifor claims that attendees were not allowed to unmute themselves during the calls, further adding to the coldness of the process.

This news comes after Bell announced a larger restructuring plan earlier this year, resulting in the potential elimination of thousands of jobs.

The company has cited economic pressures and the need to streamline operations as reasons behind the layoffs. 

However, Unifor argues that Bell's financial performance remains strong, questioning the necessity of such drastic cuts.

The union launched a "Shame on Bell" campaign in response to the layoffs, urging the public to hold the company accountable for its actions.

Bell has yet to publicly comment on the way the layoffs were conducted.