TORONTO – The Canadian Media Guild is objecting to a decision made last week by CBC/Radio-Canada management that bans its on-air talent from making paid appearances.
The union, which represents 6,000 workers in the Canadian media including many at CBC/SRC, called the public broadcaster’s new policy a “blanket prohibition” that is “a clear violation of our collective agreement, an infringement on our members’ rights and a dangerous precedent”.
The CMG said in a statement that CBC management already has all of the tools it needs to avoid any conflict of interest situations, noting that managers currently approve all paid and unpaid appearances by on-air employees.
“Furthermore, we believe an arbitrary ban will not protect CBC from conflict of interest”, the statement continues. “Each case, paid or unpaid, must be examined on its merits and managed appropriately using the rules in place, including our collective agreement and CBC’s robust journalistic standards and practices.”
CMG added that it is “objecting to this decision” and promised to keep members informed of any developments.
