The historic five-year deal reached last weekend between the CMG and CBC management ? three months ahead of the expiry of the current contract ? improves benefits for new parents, allows employees to buy additional vacation time, clarifies rules on hiring of non-permanent employees and provides for additional severance pay in the event of a layoff. It also provides for 1.5% annual wage increases, with the first one effective January 1, and the opportunity for a re-opening of wage negotiations in 2011.

“This is the first time in my CBC career that bargaining has involved real dialogue from beginning to end,” says Marc-Philippe Laurin, president of the CBC branch of the CMG. “Not only did we come away with real improvements to key provisions in the agreement, but we also feel confident that the agreement will be followed without constant disagreements and disputes.”

“The deal demonstrates that the Guild and CBC are committed to improving our relationship,” Laurin adds. “Our next job is to make sure that our members feel the benefits of that relationship every day at work for a long time to come. That will require both sides to be vigilant and not drop the relationship ball and, if we can do that, everyone wins, including public broadasting.”

Click here to read more detailed highlights of the deal.

The full text of the agreement will be available early in January. Members will have an opportunity to vote on the deal at the end of January. The vote will follow Guild membership meetings in most CBC locations with members of the bargaining committee.

To vote, you’ll need your nine-digit CMG identification number. If you have misplaced your number or don’t know it, please contact us by writing to vote@cmg.ca and we’ll get your number out to you.

For more information, get in touch with the Guild (info@cmg.ca) at 416-591-5333 or 1-800-465-4149.