Yesterday, the management bargaining team delivered us a third offer to settle the contract and said we should take it “very seriously.” Then they cancelled the next date we were scheduled to bargain, Thursday April 21. Here’s what they want us to accept:

– A salary increase of 1.75% each year for two years on existing salary rates, which are below industry standard
– employer contributions to your pension of as little as 2% and only 4% max,
– no salary steps
– no job descriptions
– an end to your paid personal days

We had underlined our priorities for getting a deal: salary steps (we tabled a revised proposal that you can download here and job descriptions, as well as employer contributions of 5% to employee pension savings, equal to what the company contributes for non-union employees. (Click here for details on your current pension plan.)

We made it clear we are not in favour of deleting paid personal days from the agreement. We also tabled a proposal to reduce what we see as second-class treatment of Guild members at Shaw by establishing that members would be covered by all Shaw policies and programs that don’t conflict with our collective agreement.

Our approach for this second contract is to bring your working conditions more in line with what employees at other broadcasters take for granted, including salary steps, better pension plans, and real job descriptions. Management’s offer would not do this.

Your bargaining committee is meeting this week to map out our next steps. These will certainly involve all of you, as we will need to show the company that we are standing together to move beyond the logjam that we seem to be in and get a fair deal. Click here for more on why we need to stand together.

We will keep you informed of developments. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to talk to any one of us.

Your bargaining committee:
Mike Duong, Shaw Media branch president
Katy Boudreau
Sherisse White
Karen Wirsig, CMG staff
Keith Maskell, CMG staff representative