Happy May Day! We wish you the best as workers are celebrated around the world on May 1, a day to recognize the importance of our labour. Your work to make our public broadcaster the best it can be is appreciated and important, and we honour your efforts.
Our Pension has been verified to be in surplus in 2023, which makes a third year in a row it’s been robust enough that CBC-RC must not pay into it (by law). We won our arbitration last June that allows for employees and pensioners to share in any surplus years, which is an unusual process and is being overseen by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). Consultation required by OSFI has occurred, but it is not bound to any firm timelines on when it will give final authorization to dispense surplus payments to eligible individual plan members. Pension laws are the strongest in Canada and the money is coming. We are just tied to the pace of this government office. We will update you when we have further news.
Are you regularly scheduled to work more than 5 days in a row? Unless you are part of a group of Toronto based Technology & Infrastructure staff in Media Presentation, Expertise Centre, Infrastructure Support, or Transmission, then you should be getting WODOs (work on day off) after the 5th day in a workweek. Article 58.2.1 says that a work week is normally 5 days, other than a few exceptional circumstances or there’s mutual agreement. Please reach out to a CMG staff rep if you are being scheduled regularly on long runs.
We are working hard to ensure a timely implementation of our new collective agreement. Please check your May 2 paystub to ensure there is a 6% raise on your hourly rate. We have committed to ensure our contract is gender neutral, and captures all of our new language, so it will take some time to re-write and post. Communications will go out as soon as the new version is posted on cmg.ca, but the previous edition is still available online here.
Please watch for a CMG Byelection call out in May… There are national, local & committee seats that need to be filled. Details to come soon.
In Solidarity,
CBC Branch Executive Committee