OTTAWA – The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union said today that the CBC is “misinforming Canadians about its critical lockout issue” and should get back to serious collective bargaining.
A quick, informal survey by CEP, “shows that contract work is not nearly as in play in the private sector as it is in the public broadcaster,” claims the press release.
“The claim that more contract employees will make the CBC more like the private sector is not true,” continues CEP, which is not the CBC union. CBC employees are represented by the Canadian Media Guild.
"The most successful private broadcasters in the country use a fraction of the contract work currently used by the public broadcaster," said Peter Murdoch, vice-president media for the CEP. The union represents 26,000 members in the media, including employees at all of Canada’s major private broadcasters, it says.
"CTV, CHUM, Global – these are very successful broadcasters who not only have less contract workers but far fewer labor disputes. The CBC should rethink its bargaining strategy, get back to issues of programming, and stop blaming employees for failures of management," says Murdoch.
CBC has had five labour disruptions in the last six years.
The CEP says government should end the lockout.
"It is ludicrous that the same Liberals who burned millions in the sponsorship program under the guise of Canadian unity, now say they are handcuffed when it comes to ensuring one of Canada’s prime messengers is off the air."
“The CBC is a major thread in the somewhat tattered tapestry of the country,” said Murdoch, “treating it like a hockey league is preposterous.”
