The Canada Industrial Relations Board has agreed to hold a mediation meeting on April 4 to address the unfair practice complaints filed by the Canadian Media Guild against the CBC in late 2004 and early 2005. Two weeks ago, the Guild sent a letter to board chair Warren Edmondson urging action on the file.

The Guild’s complaints stem from CBC interference with our ability to represent you, both collectively and individually. For example, the CBC has been negotiating separation packages directly with individual members, without informing the Guild. This practice lends itself to intimidation and coercion of employees and, because the Guild is not involved, can mean that members are denied their full rights under the collective agreement.

We tried to resolve the issues with the CBC before resorting to legal action, but got nowhere. The CBC’s attitude to date is the same as it was a decade ago when it was found guilty of breaking Canadian labour law for similar inappropriate behaviours.

The April 4 mediation meeting will precede seven weeks of straight negotiations toward a new collective agreement. We hope the meeting will initiate more positive labour relations at the CBC and enable both sides to work toward a fair deal.

For more information contact Dan Oldfield (dan@cmg.ca) or Glenn Gray (glenn@cmg.ca) at 416-591-5333 or 1-800-465-4149.