CMG and CBC/Radio-Canada have completed a sixth week of meetings towards achieving a new collective agreement.

These meetings involve the CMG negotiation committee, high level managers from CBC/Radio-Canada as well our facilitator Warren Edmondson, former chair of the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

The discussions continue to be positive with both parties taking an open and constructive approach to the issues.

The focus this week has been on Workload and Performance Management and Staff Development (PMSD).

There is recognition that workload is an important issue and that steps need to be taken to ensure work demand problems are raised and dealt with. The parties also recognize the importance of breaks and meal periods on employee’s health and productivity and are working on processes that will encourage them to be taken.

Performance management has been identified as a vital process to ensure employees know what is expected of them and what commitment the Corporation is prepared to make toward the development of their skills. It is also recognized that the process has not worked as well as it should and there is a commitment that changes will be made and that PMSD will be monitored and audited to ensure it is meeting both qualitative and quantitative objectives.

The parties will continue discussions this week as needed and full committee negotiations will resume on the week of December 8th. The parties are continuing to pursue the goal of achieving an early renewal of our Collective agreement and are encouraged by our improved relationship and our new problem-solving process.

– a joint communiqu? from the CBC and CMG