Yesterday, the Guild sent a message to Jackie Saad to say that we believe all AAC employees – including those in the Guild bargaining unit – have contributed to the company’s success and deserve to benefit immediately from it. As we’ve said many times in many different settings, we are not in the habit of opposing wage increases for our members.
The Canada Labour Code states that employers must not discriminate against employees based on their union affiliation. AAC’s actions over the past several days would seem to indicate that it plans to do exactly that.
You’ll find below our message to Jackie, encouraging her and AAC management to revisit their decision. If the company refuses raises for our members, the Guild will file a complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
If you have any questions, please contact me at keith@cmg.ca .
Keith Maskell
Staff Representative
CMG
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Hello Jackie,
It’s true that there has been some confusion – and some consternation – at AAC about the recently-announced salary increases and bonuses.
Let’s be clear: the Canadian Media Guild believes that all employees are eligible and deserve to benefit from AAC’s financial success.
The fact that we will soon be starting negotiations for a first collective agreement should not and must not stand in the way of employees receiving increased remuneration, particularly if all other employees are entitled to these increases. You are free and welcome to make proposals on all issues, including compensation and bonus
structures, during the bargaining process.
Granting the increases and bonuses as you would normally do would go a long way toward showing that AAC is the caring employer it claims to be. Not doing so would be mean-spirited at best, and discriminatory (and
illegal) at worst.
This is the position we will be communicating to employees. I am sending this note to you first as a courtesy. Members of the bargaining unit will receive a copy tomorrow morning.
Please contact me if you have any questions.