The Consultative Committee on Staff Benefits (CCSB) has approved a significant agreement between CBC/Radio-Canada, the Unions, and the pensioners. The new deal preserves the pension plan and puts to rest nearly ten years of debate and litigation between the Corporation and the Unions and pensioners on the matter of surplus sharing. It also resolves long-standing issues around the rising cost of the health care benefits for employees.
UPDATE: Click here for a backgrounder released on Friday June 13.
Speaking on behalf of the unions and the pensioners association, Jacqueline Turgeon, Vice-Chair of the CCSB said: “We’re pleased to have an agreement that will provide employees and pensioners with their fair share of future pension surpluses. Simply put, for every dollar the Corporation gets, employees and pensioners will get one too. As well, this deal ensures the same high-level of health care benefits in the future that we fought so hard to secure in the past.”
“We’re happy with this deal,” said George C. B. Smith, Senior Vice-President of Human Resources. “Everyone involved feels like we’ve turned over a new leaf. In that sense, this is much more than a solid agreement that works for both management and employees. It’s the beginning of an improved relationship between CBC/Radio-Canada, the Unions, and pensioners.”
The agreement is now subject to ratification by union members, the pensioners association, and the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors. The deal covers both unionized and non-unionized employees, as well as pensioners. Regretfully, representatives of the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (SCRC) abandoned negotiations in the final days leading up to the agreement. As a result, employees represented by the SCRC are not currently included in the deal.
Members of the CCSB look forward to sharing and discussing the agreement and what it means for employees ? past, present, and future ? as we move towards ratification.
Details of the deal will follow later this week.
The Canadian Media Guild
SCFP
STARF
AR
APS
CBC/Radio-Canada
The CBC Pensioners National Association