TORONTO – Talks between the CBC and its union, the Canadian Media Guild, broke off at around 10:30 Sunday night, with no new negotiations planned.
A message on the CMG hotline from bargaining committee member Barbara Saxberg announced “with considerable regret,” that no deal could be made by the 12:01 a.m. Monday August 15th deadline.
This means no Peter Mansbridge, no CFL football (although the Corp. may try to broadcast the games with fill in camera operators and no announcers or replays), and some kind of national radio feed which has yet to be determined (look for something music-heavy). Over 5,500 employees are now locked out.
This is one fight where when the sides say it really isn’t about money that they sort of actually mean it. The battle is mainly over contract employees, or hiring for short-term projects, and under what job classifications the CBC may pursue such hires. The union doesn’t seem like it’s going to budge from its opinion that the CBC should hire full time employees most times it has a project to be done or a show to produce.
The CMG’s July strike vote saw 87.3% favour a strike.
“The vice presidents of radio (Jane Chalmers) and television (Richard Stursberg) claim these negotiations are about the Corporation’s right to hire contract employees in the future ‘where programs, formats, and entire services come and go constantly,’” reads a CMG press release sent out Sunday afternoon.
CBC’s French language operations fall under a different union and contract and should not be affected by the lockout.
“The real goal, however, has finally been spelled out this weekend by CBC management at the bargaining table. ‘We want to have a choice in how we hire people.’ When asked why management needs this, no reasons were given other than a repeated, ‘We want the choice.’
“Is it really that simple? The answer is no,” continued the release.
“One is led to believe in the flurry of management’s communiqués and press reports (such as last week’s on www.cartt.ca) that not much will change if it gets this contract language. Can anyone believe that a massive lockout, which could go on for months, is about plans for minor change in the way the Corporation does its business?
“CBC management continues to suggest that permanent staff is not up to the task of dealing with changes in programs and formats. No group of employees has demonstrated so overwhelmingly a capacity to change and adapt,” adds the release.
“Over the past 15 years, thousands of permanent staff have been cut, technology has revolutionized the business and demands of the Canadian public have changed. Throughout it all, CBC’s permanent staff has met and surpassed the challenges. New programs, formats and services have been developed. This is undeniable. It’s now that same loyal staff CBC management intends to lock out at one minute after midnight.
“We call on the CBC Board of Directors to rescind the lockout notice and call an emergency meeting before the current senior management is permitted to embark on this scorched earth approach and risks the welfare of our members and the future of public broadcasting,” concludes the CMG release.
“We would appreciate a strong showing on the picket lines,” ends Saxberg’s phone message.
After midnight came a release from the CBC:
"We are very disheartened to have to take this action," said Stursberg in a release. "It’s disappointing for us, for our many partners, stakeholders, employees and, most importantly, for Canadians across the country. However, given the impasse that we have reached, we have come to the conclusion that only this severe measure will lead to closure and to the signing of an acceptable agreement."
"No one benefits from a work stoppage," added Chalmers. "However, we are prepared to stay the course in order to pursue the best possible collective agreement for CBC and its employees, an agreement that will position CBC for a successful future. We remain available to renew negotiations and call on the union to meet us at the table to hammer out a deal. To the public we commit to do everything possible, short of mortgaging the future of the CBC, to bring this disruption to a speedy end. We sincerely apologize for the disruption."
“This past Thursday, August 11, 2005, CBC presented a comprehensive offer to CMG. The proposal contained several new provisions that reflect the union’s concerns at the table, a competitive financial package with a significant lump sum payment to employees, as well as a number of positive developments for CBC employees, including deferred salary leave, alternate work arrangements, turnaround, probation and job evaluation implementation, says the Corp. The union made no counter-offer.
CBC has developed an alternate programming schedule for the duration of the work stoppage. The new program schedules are available at the CBC web site at www.cbc.ca, and in daily newspapers across the country tomorrow, Tuesday and every Monday thereafter for the duration of the work stoppage.
