TEAM Board Confirms Appointment of Executive Director

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 is pleased to announce that Carrie Sanderson has been confirmed as permanent as TEAM’s next Executive Director.

Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettNovember 14, 2025Carrie Sanderson, TEAM

TEAM Members Ratify Contract

Members of TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 voted to ratify their recently negotiated contract with Bell/MTS. The Memorandum of Agreement dated October 1, 2025, has been approved by the membership, with 84.4% of eligible TEAM members participating in the vote.

Canada, Infrastructure, Labor RightsCandace RhettOctober 10, 2025TEAM, Bell/MTS, contract

TEAM and WAPSO Host Membership Lunch Events in Winnipeg

IFPTE Locals in Winnipeg hosted lunch events this week and last for members working throughout the city.

CanadaCandace RhettJune 27, 2025TEAM, WAPSO, lunch events

IFPTE Urges Manitoba Government to Protect TEAM Jobs

Last week, as media reports highlighted that Bell (BCE) paid its top executives over $5 million in bonuses in 2024, the IFPTE sent a letter to Premier Kinew urging action from his government to help stem the job loss and safeguard telecommunications jobs in Manitoba and TEAM.

Canada, Government, Labor RightsCandace RhettApril 11, 2025TEAM, Bell-MTS, Premier Kinew

Bell's Job Cuts Continue to Erode Manitoba's Telecommunications Workforce

Bell Canada's recent announcement of 1,200 job reductions across Canada is another devastating blow to workers, including 100 employees in Manitoba who are set to see their jobs slashed—70 of whom are represented by TEAM/IFPTE Local 161.

Canada, InfrastructureCandace RhettMarch 7, 2025Bell-MTS, TEAM, job reductions

Bell Canada Announces Another Round of Job Cuts

Bell Canada has once again announced significant job reductions that will impact TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 members, as part of a broader workforce downsizing affecting 1,200 unionized positions across the country.

Canada, Infrastructure, Labor RightsCandace RhettFebruary 21, 2025TEAM, Bell Canada, job cuts

TEAM AGM Highlights Opportunities and Challenges Ahead for the Local

Members of TEAM-IFPTE Local 161 gathered in Winnipeg on November 12 and 13 for their annual general meetings. The lunch hour meetings featured a packed agenda that included financial updates, a report from the President, an overview of workplace issues and member advocacy efforts, and a presentation on key objectives for the upcoming collective bargaining round.

Canada, GovernmentFaraz KhanNovember 15, 2024TEAM, IFPTE Local 161, Manitoba

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 Meets with the Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 President, Dave Eyjolfson, Executive Director, Katherine Johnson, and IFPTE Representative, Erin Spencer, participated in a meeting with the Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services, the Honorable Lisa Naylor.

Government, Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettOctober 18, 2024TEAM, Honourable Lisa Naylor, telecommunications

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 Meets with the Manitoba Metis Federation

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 participated in a meeting with the Senior Economic Development Advisor, Lorne Pelletier, of the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF).

Canada, Government, Labor RightsCandace RhettOctober 4, 2024TEAM, MMF

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161's New Executive Director

The TEAM Board is pleased to announce the hire of their new Executive Director, Katherine Johnson.

Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettJune 22, 2024TEAM, Executive Director, Katherine Johnson

TEAM Meets with Manitoba Minister of Labour

On March 26 TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 and IFPTE representatives, Dave Eyjolfson, Erin Spencer, Bill Fitzpatrick, and Anna Liu participated in a meeting with the Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration, the Honourable Malaya Marcelino.

Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettApril 5, 2024TEAM, Labour Minister Malaya Marcelino, Bell-MTS

Shame on Bell

The campaign to highlight more than 6000 jobs eliminated by Bell Canada over the last eight months launched yesterday with a rally in Ottawa.

Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettMarch 22, 2024Bell Canada, Shame on Bell campaign, TEAM, Bell-MTS

TEAM Holds Financial and Retirement Planning Webinars

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 held two webinars on financial and retirement planning for members, geared especially for members who have been impacted by Bell Canada’s recent announcement to cut 4,800 positions across the country.

Labor Rights, CanadaCandace RhettMarch 15, 2024TEAM, Bell Canada, webinars

TEAM Writes to Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage

As part of TEAM/IFPTE Local 161’s ongoing campaign to keep telecommunications jobs in Manitoba, TEAM President, Dave Eyjolfson, sent a letter to the Honourable Hedy Fry, Chair of the Canadian Parliament’s Heritage Committee, to highlight concerns about Bell’s current round of job cuts and the impact of continued job reductions on our members, our communities, our economy, and the future of telecommunications work in Canada.

Canada, Government, Labor RightsCandace RhettMarch 8, 2024TEAM, Dave Eyjolfson, Heritage Committee, Hedy Fry

TEAM Letter to Manitoba Minister of Labour

As part of TEAM/IFPTE Local 161’s ongoing campaign to keep telecommunications jobs in Manitoba and in their workplace, and in light of Bell Canada’s recent announcement to cut 4,800 jobs, or 9% of its workforce, TEAM President, Dave Eyjolfson, sent a letter last week to the Honourable Malaya Marcelino, Minister of Labour and Immigration for Manitoba.

Solidarity Across IFPTE Locals - SCMMA Bargaining Training

SCMMA/IFPTE Local 222 Executive Board members came together this week for bargaining training that occurred over two days, which involved learning about the bargaining process, reviewing legal responsibilities, understanding what happens at the bargaining table, mapping out issues, and developing a plan.

Canada, Labor RightsCandace RhettDecember 21, 2023SCMMA, RCMMA, TEAM, SUP, IFPTE Local 160, IFPTE Local 161

TEAM Members Attend MFL Women’s Conference

TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 members took part in the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) Women’s Conference held on September 26 & 27.

Labor Rights, CanadaCandace RhettSeptember 29, 2023TEAM, IFPTE Local 161, 2023 MFL Women's Conference

TEAM-Local 161 and the CCPA Release Study, "For Whom the Bell Tolls: The Privatization of Manitoba Telecom Services and its Impacts"

On June 20, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), TEAM - IFPTE Local 161 held a press conference announcing the release chronicling how the privatisation of MTS, once an engine of the Manitoba economy, has resulted in significant job loss, poor rural and northern phone service, and high rates.

Infrastructure, Labor RightsFaraz KhanJune 23, 2023CCPA, MTS, Bell-MTS, TEAM, IFPTE Local 161, privatisation

TEAM Members Take-A-Break

Over 200 members and guests of TEAM/IFPTE Local 161 took part in the Local’s special lunch event. A fixture prior to the pandemic, the event returned with gusto to Winnipeg.

Candace RhettJune 16, 2023TEAM