Bell executives award themselves more than $5M after slashing thousands of jobs

TORONTO, April 2, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor condemns Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) executives for awarding themselves more than $5 million in bonuses, including nearly $2.4 million to CEO Mirko Bibic, following massive job cuts and stock drops.

"This announcement dropped on April Fool's Day, but sadly, this is no joke," said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

"The company laid off thousands, its stock went down by 30% and yet, the richest and most powerful continue to profit off the back of our members."

The union launched its "Shame on Bell" campaign in March 2024, in response to the company's Feb. 2024's announcement that BCE was callously eliminating 4,800 jobs, including 800 Unifor members in telco and media – its largest reduction in 30 years.

Most recently in Feb. 2025, Unifor learned Bell were planning another workforce reduction that will potentially cost another 1,200 workers their jobs in telco.

Bell is guilty of decades of hollowing out Bell's workforce, including an October 2024 announcement to cut 120 jobs at Expertech, a June 2024 50-person job cut at Bell Media, and a 1,300-person cut in June 2023, and many more.

"Amidst this trade war, we need major Canadian companies to invest in good jobs at home and Bell continues to fall short when they should be making a long-term plan on a thriving workforce," said Payne.

Unifor rallied in Ottawa last spring to call out Bell for postponing a scheduled hearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee to answer for the termination of 9% of its workforce.

In his April 2024 appearance before the House of Commons Heritage Committee, Bibic failed to justify cutting thousands of jobs while BCE increased their dividends to a record-high $3.7 billion in 2023.

Unifor represents more than 19,000 telecommunications workers at BCE and its subsidiaries. The union also represents more than 2,100 members at Bell Media.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. 

SOURCE Unifor