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The Life After Bell newsletter is mailed out every week. If you are not receiving it, please check your junk mail. |
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The Life after Bell website was developed to help you network and keep in touch with other Bell Alumni. Has the Life after Bell website helped you? Help support the site by making a donation! Networking will be our Key to Success! |
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Isn't There Something You'd Rather Be Doing Than Your TAXES???
It's Spring Time, don't waste your day sitting around a tax office, or cramped up over your kitchen table trying to figure out which deductions you can claim and finding all the appropriate forms.
Simply visit our web site http://www.T1Taxes.ca and complete the on line form. You can send it to our secure web site or toll free fax. Let the Professionals do the work.
It really can be that simple and don't forget to enter code ONC101 to obtain your 10% on line discount.
"Your Income Tax Professionals" |
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Hello Everyone, |
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Interview with Paul Brent Patricia Long, Bill McAdam, Mike Hayes, David Bathurst and Christine McGee Unemployed tech workers band together to cope, job hunt
Updated: Fri Jan. 02
2009 17:02:40 While Ottawa's unemployment numbers are better than most of the country, the region has not escaped the sobering reality of economic downturn. About 19,000 tech workers lost their jobs here in 2008, according to Statistics Canada. For a group of laid-off Bell Canada workers with long tenure at the company, the future is a mix of uncertainty and optimism as they hunt for new work. Bell announced a cut of 2,500 workers in late-July: about 15 per cent of its non-union, middle-management workforce. "It gets more depressing as each day goes by," says Dave Bathurst. "There will be several days with nothing, and then you get two or three calls. "Our education has a lot to do with it. A lot of us came out of high school and into these jobs, and so now you go to job fairs and if you give them your resumé, they ask if you have a degree. And if you say no they just dump the resumé and don't even bother looking." And the slumping economy isn't helping. When Bathurst follows up after job interviews, he finds that many positions have been put on hold. Christine McGee cried for hours after receiving the pink slip. And then she stopped, and created "Life After Bell," a website for fellow layoff victims to share ideas, job prospects, success stories, and move on with life. "If you are depressed you can't keep going forward, you have to put this behind you," says McGee, who has a few months left at Bell. "To find unemployment for 25 or 30 years is virtually unheard of today. Our kids will never know that. It's just the way of the world today. "So we have to transition, and the best way to do that is to communicate with each other and deal with our problems as a group." Animosity towards Bell remains strong for many Many of McGee's colleagues agree that Bell targeted older workers to improve the bottom line for the impending sale of parent company BCE, which has merged with CTV. "We were part of the sale," says Mike Hayes. "We've been sitting and waiting to see if we would get our $42.75 for our shares, but of course that deal fell through in December and that cost a lot of us a lot of money. "We could have retired at age 55 with our years and service but we can't. We will still get our pension but at age 60, and if we take it at age 55 it's greatly reduced." These Bell veterans also accused the company of heavy-handed behaviour with the job cuts, saying they've been replaced with contracted workers and overseas outsourcing. Some are even taking Bell to court, and any past warm and fuzzy feelings for their former employer have evaporated. Wendy Lewis was nearing retirement when the market began to fall and the layoffs occurred. Now she's discovering that the job search can be difficult as an older worker. "One of the reasons I think Bell is in so much trouble is because of what they have done, the way they have treated people," she says. "They have lost some big customers. You can drive yourself crazy if you keep thinking about what has been done or what could be done." Dec. 5 was Bill McAdam's last day with Bell after more than 30 years, and his father and grandfather worked there before him. "You can't change anything now - you just have to get on with it, he told CTV Ottawa. "I find you have to redo your resumé, and instead of saying 'I am proud to have over 30 years experience with Bell,' I just say 'over 20 years working with a hi-tech firm'." With a report from CTV Ottawa's Paul Brent
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090102/OTT_workers_090102/20090102/?hub=OttawaHome |
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Final Details for your Termination You have now received your Bell Canada – Termination StatementThere are a number of things that have to be looked at now that you have received your final statement. If you have any issues or concerns with your Bell Canada Termination Statement call the Benefit Administrator at 1-888-391-0005. Your Locked in Pension Plan Do you want to leave your pension in the existing plan or do you want to withdraw and have someone managing your pension.Your Termination Statement identifies your personal monthly pension that will be paid at age 60. Here are a few facts about the defined benefit features. - interest of 4% will be paid on your Locked in RRSP for the first 10 years following the calculation date. - your pension is payable for your lifetime. - you can choose to receive an early pension at a reduced rate - in the event of death prior to age of 55, your spouse will receive the actuarial equivalent of your earned deferred pension. If you do not have a spouse your beneficiary(ies) or estate will receive such actuarial value. - your spouse will receive a 60% Survivor Pension in the event of your death prior to retirement but after age of 55. - If you do not have a spouse, your beneficiary(ies) or estate will receive the actuarial equivalent of your earned deferred pension. For your personal details make sure you take the time to read your Personal Pension Plan details. Understand the pro’s and cons of all your options.
**Make sure you complete the BCE Employees’ Saving Plan Termination Form. If you have contributed to the Group Retirement Savings Plan you can transfer this money to another financial institution. This is money that you contributed to a RRSP personally. Funds in this account are not locked in. If you want to transfer the funds out complete the Group Retirement Saving Plan Termination Form. If you had a loan with the Comtech Credit Union you can establish new payment options for any outstanding loads. Check your interest rate - mine was at 21%. To contact the Comtech Credit Union in Ottawa contact Jessie Gurudevan At 866-681-6172 ext. 223 f: 613-234-0491 e: gurudevan@comtechcu.com Or 1-800-209-7444 or visit the website at http://www.comtechcu.com |
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Life After Bell; A brief history In response to several queries, here’s the LAB story;
My name is Christine McGee. I was hired by Bell Canada in 1981 and remained a
loyal employee until I was terminated in 2008. I was one of more than 2500
managers terminated under a ‘100 Day Restructuring Plan’ launched by new
Bell President, George Cope, following the company’s sale to the Ontario
Teachers Pension Plan. Most importantly, share news about job opportunities with our members! In short, Life After Bell urges members to share information and browse around the site. • The General Information page contains the following information.• The Newsletter • The Resume • The Cover Letter (coming soon) • Your Marketing Plan • The Interview • Our Sponsors – Help for members! • Downloads • Helpful Information • Helpful job search web addresses or add your own on the Links page • Share or look for new job opportunities on the Job Board • Post your resume for exposure to employers on the Resume Board • Voice opinions and share information on The Forum • Share ‘good news’ and employment success stories on the Success Board • Outline your skills and achievements on the Talent Among Us page • Connect with co-workers and friends on the See Me page • Ask An Expert is a forum established to answer your Resume and Marketing Plan questions • Complete your profile on LinkedIn
Please join the Life After Bell Group in LinkedIn to further expand your network! 300+ Members on LinkedIn Group Life after Bell Remember it’s the people who make companies great. We have the skills, training and work ethics they need. We are very marketable. Employers are looking for us. This website is a great way to make contact. Please keep in touch. Tell your friends about us. Please support the site by visiting our sponsors and Google Advertisers |
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The Life after Bell Logo - What does it mean? The moon represents the culture and lessons of yesterday. The people in the logo are all of us – the ex-Bell employees, our extended family. The very things that made our company successful and respected. We were born of the Bell culture! We lived the Bell culture. We are the very thing that made the company great! Together, We will support each other as any other family would, with no borders or limitations. We will Succeed our Numbers will be our strength. Our People! Our Networking! Our Way! |
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