At last night’s virtual award ceremony for the CMG Long Service Award for temporary workers, participants shared their appreciation at having their years of service at CBC acknowledged.
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I really appreciate this award. Finally after all these years, someone actually said ‘thank you ,you did a good job’. It means a lot.
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I’ve worked on so many radio shows they keep asking me to do all this work, on short notice, alone, in my basement, which I do…then not even a thank you.
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In the beginning you just accept the situation of being temporary. But over time it becomes frustrating.
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After years of not knowing anything about it, I find out I could have had access to the pension but no one ever told me.
I am part of this project because I hope the next generation of workers at CBC will be treated better.
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Senior management on my unit was recently complaining about how hard it is to keep “temporary staff”, that people leave. Of course they leave, who can afford to stay around without stability. I’ve seen so many talented journalists leave the industry because they can’t get full time jobs. It’s sad.
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CBC is a vocation. In years of working here, I’ve never found any other job I’d like to do. No one does what CBC does. I love it. But after 30 years it’s wearing thin. It’s good we are doing this to help younger people coming through so they won’t have to cope with the same uncertainty.
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Even after all my time at CBC, I was still afraid to put my face on the poster because I believe CBC would stop giving me work. But feeling that way made me feel even more sad.
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Thank you for sharing our stories. I was a temp for years; with the union’s help several years ago I became permanent part-time. It’s been better since. But this awareness and recognition of temporary workers is long overdue.
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For years I’ve watched others get recognition and thanked for long service, and I’ve never been included, even though I’ve been there just as long. I get emotional just thinking about it.
In opening the virtual event, CMG president Carmel Smyth thanked participants for helping make the work place better for all their colleagues. “You represent the many who could not speak for fear of retaliation – especially CBC temporary workers who are young, Indigenous, Black, and People of colour.”
Kim Trynacity, the CBC Branch president presented the awards.
“I hope the campaign puts pressure on CBC to do better. I call on the corporation to stop replacing stable jobs with temporary work, and to give all workers equal opportunities.”
The union has made fighting for better jobs and working conditions for the increasing number of CBC workers who are temporary, a priority.
There will be more initiatives – stay tuned!