Our CBC/Radio-Canada Branch Executive Committee (BEC) just met in Yellowknife last week for our semi-annual in-person meeting to understand the working conditions at that location. The BEC has been meeting this term in different locations across the country to connect with members and better understand their working conditions. Last year, we met in Calgary, and earlier this year we met in Halifax. These meetings have been important, and they help us make decisions internally, as well as for the times when we meet with management. We received a warm welcome in Yellowknife from our colleagues there and Location executive members Loren McGinnis, Katherine Barton and Chantal Dubuc – Thank You!
In addition to meeting with members, our BEC discussed many important items including the resolutions that were passed at our convention this summer – specifically the matter of the Memorandum of Agreement on Surplus Health Care and Pension Surplus Sharing Agreement that was ratified by the membership in 2009 (2009 MOA), as well as the Corporation’s budget priorities and the impact of those decisions. We also discussed Location Unit Executive training for the upcoming term, the recent job evaluation study and several other subjects.
Here are some highlights:
Memorandum of Agreement on Surplus Health Care and Pension Surplus Sharing Agreement
At the CMG Convention this summer, a resolution was brought forward requiring that we report on the status of the funds collected through the 2009 MOA. The money was collected through a 0.1% reduction in salary increases starting that year. The cumulative effect of the 0.1% has resulted in the collection of an estimated $20 million. The MOA was signed by many of the CBC/Radio-Canada unions. We are currently working to assess our next steps regarding the funds and the agreement, and you will hear more from us in the coming months on the matter.
The Corporation’s budget priorities
While additional public funding ($675 million) has been allocated to CBC/Radio-Canada since 2016, the Liberal government’s commitment to reinvest in the public broadcaster is not an indefinite allocation. As well, we believe that more of the additional funds should be allotted to the work our members do. We have heard from many members on the impact of reduced budgets. While it is within management’s purview to make budget decisions, we will continue to raise how those decisions affect our members. Some of the impacts are: members having difficulty getting time off due to shortages in staffing and a lack of backfill; increased workload; and an increase in number of tasks. These impacts can result in burnout and a lower quality of work.
Basic training for new Location Unit Executives
We will be providing new Location Unit Executive Committee members (LEC) with some basic training when they start new terms. Some information has been placed on our website to facilitate this learning [ http://www.cmg.ca/en/roles-and-responsibilities-of-cmg-elected-officials-at-a-glance/.] The BEC intends to implement this training starting in January with a goal to providing all LECs and stewards training by May 2019. This may involve your regional Staff Representative coming to your location and working with another member of your location to deliver the training.
Update on Job Evaluation
Lastly, a quick update on Job Evaluation: Many of our members were engaged in the process of a jobs review this year. There has been a concerted effort on the part of the corporation and our union to make sure the jobs we do are properly classified. These processes take time so as to ensure they are handled properly. We will report out on the results of this process once decisions have been made about the analysis.
Jonathan Spence (jonathanspence.cmg@gmail.com)
CBC/Radio-Canada Branch President on behalf of the CBC Branch Executive Committee, CMG