At midnight on Sunday night, the pressmen at Le Journal de Montreal, which is owned by Quebecor, went on strike. Some CP/BN employees have been asked to alter their work practices in order to get copy to Montreal earlier in the day.

Canadian Media Guild members should not be asked to help a struck newspaper publish its product, no matter who the publisher is. Although Guild members must continue to work as usual ? moving stories rapidly through Quick Hits or other delivery options and handling urgent, breaking stories ? we are under no obligation to speed up or change our practices to help out a company in a dispute with its employees.

If there is a legitimate need for copy to be sent to Montreal earlier in order to offer a deeper report to all members and clients of the French services, the Guild would support that direction. However, sending copy earlier in the day simply to assist a struck newspaper is not something we can support.

Le Journal reporters, editors and photographers are represented by a different union and are still on the job. The Guild hopes that Quebecor and the pressmen at Journal de Montr?al are able to reach a fair agreement as quickly as possible.

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