Negotiators for the Canadian Media Guild and TVO have agreed to terms for a new five-year Collective Agreement. The deal is retroactive to October 28, 2007 and expires on October 27, 2012. It is subject to ratification by Guild membership and the TVO Board of Directors.
The agreement provides for a fifteen-percent wage increase over its lifetime, based on 3% in each year of the deal.
There are several new provisions.
Consultation. Key to reaching agreement is an undertaking by TVO that it will meet with the Union prior to the implementation of any significant changes that could adversely affect employees and to allow for input from the Union. Another new provision ensures that in circumstances where programs have been cancelled and new ones created, all new assignment opportunities will be posted. There’s also new language to protect employees during a significant change in technology.
Training and Professional Development. The new article is designed to ensure training is provided that will enhance employee’s skills and support career development. And, for the first time, employees who train others will receive a daily premium of $22.50 in 2008 and $25.00 beginning next year. The agreement also includes a new, positive and transparent performance management process.
Work-life balance. Some new initiatives will begin to address the issue of work-life balance. The agreement allows for the creation of alternate work arrangements in order to meet changing life needs. Such arrangements can be proposed individually by employees and must be given serious consideration by the employer. There’s new job sharing language and a new Vacation Purchase Plan (VPP) is being introduced that will allow employees to take a modest reduction in pay in order to acquire additional vacation time. The program will begin by allowing an extra week of vacation in the first year and will expand to two-weeks in 2009.
Layoff and recall. Language to deal with layoffs and recall has been improved to place a greater emphasis on the role of seniority in protecting employees while removing other barriers.
Within 120 days of ratification of the agreement, the parties will meet to review job descriptions and to make changes where necessary to reflect the changing realities of the workplace.
The full memorandum of agreement will be available prior to the ratification meeting and vote, which has been scheduled for 9am, Friday, May 16th in the ground floor studio. After 11am, voting will be moved to the 4th floor and will continue until 5pm.
The agreement meets many of the Guild objectives set at the start of bargaining and your bargaining committee is recommending acceptance of the new deal.
David Hawkins
George Pyron
Carol Burtin Fripp
Dan Oldfield, Senior Staff Representative