On October 14, Guild branch president Masaaba Mwambu and CMG staff rep Keith Maskell met with Canwest HR director Fiona Sterling to discuss the latest developments in the Canwest saga, as well as the “video town hall” that was presented to employees across the country that same day.

We discussed recent media reports that state that some former Canwest employees and pensioners may not receive the full amounts to which they are entitled, and will have to “get in line” with other creditors.

Sterling advised us that, to the best of her knowledge, no member of the CMG bargaining unit was affected by this. Furthermore, she gave her assurance that no staffing changes or layoffs are anticipated in the Guild bargaining unit as part of the overall restructuring.

It’s important to understand that the various media assets of Canwest Global Communications are hived off into separate corporate entities. Among them there’s Canwest Media Inc., which owns Global Television and the National Post, and has filed for protection under CCAA; Canwest LP, which owns and operates major-market newspapers across the country; and CW Television Inc., which owns the former Alliance Atlantis properties. At this point, CW Television Inc. continues to be profitable and has
been largely insulated from the parent company’s woes.

Everyone involved is keeping a close eye on the situation. During the restructuring process, which is expected to take a number of months, we will maintain contact with the company and keep you informed about any changes that might affect you.

Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the branch executive or Keith Maskell at keith@cmg.ca if you have any questions.