The Canadian Media Guild is disappointed that the CBC board has endorsed management’s position during its first meeting since the lockout began on August 15.

“The board had a choice to set a new direction to bring a speedy end to the lockout,” said Lise Lareau, president of the Guild. “Instead, they chose to endorse Robert Rabinovitch and his aggressive strategy, which has led to the biggest crisis in the CBC’s history. The board statement does not provide any light at the end of the tunnel.”

The proposed new board chair, Guy Fournier, told the reporters that the board statement reflects a change in tone. He said he thought both parties were ready for compromise. The Guild hopes Fournier’s view prevails at the bargaining table.

The board appears to misunderstand one of the key issues that remain unresolved in the lockout when it says that contract employees will continue to be “a small fraction of the Corporation’s workforce.”

In fact, already 30% of the CBC’s workforce is non-permanent and the management proposal would increase that number. The CBC already has a higher proportion of non-permanent employees than other broadcasters.

“It is disappointing that CBC management and the board are misrepresenting such an important issue so late in the lockout,” Lareau said. “Unfortunately, the Guild was not allowed in the room to clear up the misunderstanding.”

Lareau and other members of the Guild remained outside the meeting and managed to have brief hallway conversations with several board members.

For more information, please get in touch with the Guild (guild@interlog.com) at 416-591-5333 or 1-800-465-4149.