Ericsson to cut 100 jobs amid global cost-cutting drive
Ericsson said the cuts are part of a broader realignment of its managed services unit.
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Ericsson has confirmed it will cut around 100 jobs in Canada as part of a global restructuring drive aimed at reducing costs and consolidating operations into international hubs.
The Swedish telecoms equipment maker informed staff on Monday that their last working day would be 31 October. The redundancies primarily affect technicians and support staff in national operations and technical centres, many of whom previously worked for Rogers Communications. The Globe and Mail first reported the development, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The move marks the latest step in Ericsson’s cost-saving measures, as the company grapples with slowing investment in telecom networks. Executives have repeatedly cautioned of subdued demand, particularly in North America, where operators are cutting back on 5G spending after years of aggressive roll-outs.
Many of the affected employees were part of Rogers’s field operations, maintaining and supporting mobile towers. In April, Rogers offered about 400 managers and technicians either severance or the option to move to Ericsson, which had been contracted to handle the work. Roughly half accepted new contracts, but around 200 have since applied to form a bargaining unit under the Federal Labour Board. Union leader Michael Phillips of United Steelworkers Local 1944 said that 37 of those laid off this week had joined the unionisation effort only days earlier.
Ericsson said the cuts are part of a broader realignment of its managed services unit. Company spokesperson Nathan Gibson explained that the restructuring would “bring together our network management services team in Canada with our global operations, leveraging common tools, processes and scale.”
The company declined to specify how many jobs will be shifted abroad or which international hubs will absorb the work.
The announcement follows Ericsson’s wider global restructuring push. In early 2023, the company said it would reduce its workforce worldwide by around 8,500 as it seeks to centralise operations, eliminate duplication, and adjust to weaker demand for network equipment.
