Canada based Bell lays off over 400 workers in a virtual video call

Canada based Telecommunications giant Bell has laid off over 400 employees in a virtual video meeting, according to Unifor - the union representing the employees. In a press release, the union has also condemned the way in which the employees were let go, terming the impersonal manner of the terminations as, 'beyond shameful'.

Layoffs by Bell

The workers who were let go were declared as surplus in 10-minute video calls. As per Unifor, a manager read out a notice without allowing employees or union representatives to ask questions.

"Our members, who have devoted years of service to this telecoms and media giant, are being repaid with pink slips," said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor's Quebec director, in a statement.

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Meanwhile, Bell's communications director, Ellen Murphy in a statement disputed Unifor's claims. The statement said that the company had informed the union regarding the layoffs and had held discussions for over 5 weeks. The statement further said that the firm met its obligations under collective bargaining agreements.

Murphy added that terminated employees also had individual HR meetings to discuss the severance packages. The layoffs came after Bell announced plans to eliminate 4,800 positions which is about 9% of its workforce. The Telecommunications giant also maintains that the layoffs is part of a restructuring effort