The truth about strike votes is that no one really wants to see a strike?not CBC employees, not our listeners and viewers, not management and not the bargaining committee.
It’s difficult for a bargaining committee to call such a vote. It is a decision not taken lightly. For more than a year now, a dedicated group of your colleagues have set aside their families and careers and have made many personal sacrifices to get a fair deal at the CBC.
We now need your help. In the coming days you will be asked to give your committee a strong mandate by voting YES.
Your YES vote means?
The union could take strike action to back our demands if we can’t get a fair agreement any other way. It also means you are not prepared to accept regressive management proposals and that you support the work of the Guild bargaining committee. A YES vote is a vote in favour of bargaining.
If you vote no?
A no vote means you are prepared to accept whatever proposals management puts on the table. It is a vote of non-confidence in the bargaining committee and its efforts to get a fair deal for all of us.
What happens after the vote?
Assuming the Guild committee receives strong support from the membership, we will continue to bargain with the help of a federal conciliator.
Before, during and after the vote, management will tell you that things aren’t as bad as the Guild claims. It will tell you it has your interests at heart. We encourage you to judge the Corporation not by its rhetoric but by its actions: the treatment of temporary employees, the outsourcing, the overcrowded work spaces, and its well-stated plans to eliminate future permanent jobs.
When it comes to issues at the bargaining table, you cannot believe two contradicting stories. You can choose the version of events offered by the Corporation or you can accept the version of your co-workers who continue to work on your behalf. We’re confident you will make the right choice.
Your bargaining committee:
Arnold Amber, Toronto
Pierre Claveau, Vancouver
Brendan Elliott, Charlottetown
Percy Hatfield, Windsor
Joe Hill, Toronto
Wendy Hunt, Toronto
Gerry Jones, Regina
Barbara Saxberg, Toronto
Lee Siemon, Toronto
Chris Turner, Fredericton
Rick Warren, Vancouver
Dan Oldfield, Senior CMG staff representative