A group of Nortel employees in Ottawa have started a global campaign to counter rock-bottom morale at the financially-strapped company.
Michelle Ganley says she decided to send out an e-mail to inspire colleagues last week after she watched the movie, Miracle on 34th Street.
Since the e-mail went out, Ganley says the response has been dramatic. By Thursday, there was an "I Believe" rally for hundreds of workers at Nortel's Carling Avenue campus.
"There is nothing from management other than support, which is very much appreciated. This is from the workers," said organizer Sarah Reesor.
"I think people want something to grasp onto that they can embrace and this might be it for quite a few people at Nortel," added Kathy Griffiths, another organizer.
Ganley says she now gets a few hundred e-mails per day from employees who work in other Nortel offices.
Now, there are plans for more rallies at several Nortel facilities worldwide. A Facebook group already exists with nearly 2,000 members. Plans to make a T-shirt are also in the works.
"Where this will go and what will happen history will tell us . . . but I think as long as we keep trying we're going in the right direction. The wrong thing to do now is to bury our heads in the sand and give up," said employee Eric Kedroky.
The "I Believe" campaign comes as Nortel employees face the certainty of more job cuts -- when and how many jobs are not known.
