Your bargaining committee met with company representatives last Thursday for the first of two days of talks on the wage re-opener. As you know, the re-opener clause was included in the last collective agreement because of the uncertain financial picture facing The Canadian Press/Broadcast News in 2005.

We have reviewed the latest financial information and the picture has not improved significantly since we negotiated our contribution to the pension plan funding problem. That issue remains the largest dark cloud on our horizon.

However, it is also difficult to predict what things will look like later this year. There are a number of variables that could alter the picture.

During our two days of talks, we discussed the things so many of you made clear in the bargaining survey. We know the erosion of your pay is a problem that must be addressed. We also received a clear message, and passed it on, that integration at CP/BN remains a major problem and that morale in the company is suffering for this and other reasons.

These were very preliminary discussions. We agreed to discuss all these issues in more detail when we resume bargaining the week of March 14.

For more information, please contact Kathy Viner (kathy@cmg.ca) at 416-591-5333 or 1-800-465-4149.

Your bargaining committee:

Scott Edmonds, CP/BN Winnipeg
Karine Fortin, CP/BN Montreal
James Stevenson, CP/BN Calgary
Kathy Viner, CMG Staff Representative