Canuck

  Friday, 12 August 2005

Canadian performers to join CMG in action against CBC < 3:40:09 PM>.

CKNW is reporting that the union representing 21,000 Canadian performers will join the Canadian Media Guild for what could be the CBC's largest-ever labour disruption. A strike or lockout involving the Canadian Media Guild could come as early as Monday, and if it does, ACTRA is pledging its support.

Executive Director Steve Waddell says his union is in a position to employ pressure tactics. "It could be anything from a strike or potentially a lockout," he says, "to taking other action like exercising our rights under the collective agreement, not to allow for certain re-use of programs."
ACTRA has not taken a strike vote, but is considering it.

< 3:33:42 PM>.

The CBC Radio weather report just blithely reeled off the following: a heat alert, humidex and smog advisories, a thunderstorm watch, and a power warning. (The last is a new disaster euphemism, meaning in fact that an aspect of the public infrastructure can’t cope.)

What a lovely summer day.

I was in Banff when this happened but TO has been a real mess all summer.

< 12:40:21 AM>.

The Canadian Broadcast Corporation is one step closer to a massive labour disruption that threatens to seriously affect its programming.
The CBC this evening provided the Canadian Media Guild with 72-hour lockout notice. If an agreement is not reached by Monday at midnight, CBC will be locked out. Earlier in the day, CBC presented a “revised comprehensive offer.” Despite the offer, no language has been agreed to since Sunday.
In a statement, CBC said it “doesn’t want a work stoppage and we are extremely disappointed to have to take this action. However, after almost 15 months of negotiations, our key issues remain unresolved - issues which are crucial to CBC’s success as Canada’s national public broadcaster and as a well-managed company in a competitive media marketplace.”

The CBC won't be locked out but it's employees will be. Sigh.