Last night’s town hall was well attended, and in an effort to offer a different time frame for members to find out about the tentative agreement, we will offer another town hall by zoom tomorrow, Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 16:00 EST.
The formal tentative agreement is over 150 pages made up of a collection of MOAs (memorandum of agreement) signed throughout negotiations. We are endeavouring to have it translated and posted for members to see as soon as possible. And we are also working to create an Explainer document that will give an overview of the elements in the new agreement. In the meantime, we are sharing with members some details of our tentative agreement for your consideration, as we plan out how to meet with you next week to answer questions about the deal.
Terms of the Agreement
It’s a 3 year deal from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027, the shortest in almost two decades. This will allow us to go back to the table sooner when there are so many variables at play for CBC-SRC at the moment.
Dispute Resolution – We have added more meetings with management to our Grievance process, to find quicker resolutions to complaints.
Safety at Work – Language in our contract now aligns with the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations under the Canada Labour Code. It gives members the power to have independent investigations when harassment occurs.
Artificial Intelligence – We have protection for our members around use of their likeness and AI, and agreement to have ongoing dialogue with management as technologies develop.
Equity / Diversity / Inclusion / Accessibility – There’s updated definitions in the Collective Agreement that better reflect our members, including Indigenous (Inuit, Métis and First Nations) peoples, which also recognize the distinct Arctic North and other Northern communities. As well, Bereavement Leave now better allows members to be with loved ones when it matters. An EDIA lens is now used across the CA, including gender neutral language.
Telework – Telework decisions will be made on a case by case basis, deterring full departmental decisions being made based on individual circumstances. A new accelerated dispute process will help people get answers in a timely manner if denied. Job postings will now say if it’s telework eligible.
Process Modernization – We will strike a Workday Joint Working Group to address issues as they arise. Time in lieu will now be paid out at current rate of pay (not rate when earned), so will likely be higher. And union leave will need 12 business days notice to help alleviate impact on coworkers, but with a proviso for emergency situations to be cleared. Sick notes are now a $30 reimbursement (up from $25), and overnight taxi/ parking coverage is now $25/$10 (up from $20/$7).
Temps – Benefits qualifications for short-term (minus 13 week) temporary workers is now down from 29 hours per week to 50% of the full-time hours of their base position over two pay periods, both to qualify and to retain benefits. A new National Temp Committee will be created to oversee potential conversions and over usage of temporary work. There is now an option to create one year contracts after 2 years of continuous temporary work in different positions which could ultimately lead to permanent status. And +13 week Temps can now earn Time In Lieu. Higher banded work must be paid at least on par with lower banded work.
Permanent Part Time – Parental leave Supplementary Benefits Plan benefits are now based on real hours worked, not just base job hours.
T&I Issues – The Maintenance & IT Compensation Review, outstanding since 2009, identified 5 job classifications that were within 4% of market comp (when pension, benefits, & wages were included). CMG agreed that market variations within 5% was within normal range, which left only one job unaddressed -the Remote Area Transmitter Systems Technologists, who were 13% under market value. They will now receive an ad rem equivalent to 5% of their base salary when they hit top of scale.
The Toronto based group of ~100 people excluded from 5-day language will now receive ‘long run’ premiums of $26 for the 6th & 7th consecutive days worked, & $42 for the 8th, 9th, & 10th days. As well, a small group will now be eligible for on-call work, mainly on weekend & overnight shifts, but only by mutual agreement.
Northern Medical Travel – There is now clarification on eligibility for medical travel costs (airfare, taxi, hotel, etc) from SAF (Special Assistance Fund) via CCSB, (Consultative Committee on Staff Benefits). A lifetime maximum of up to $12,500 is available for each member as well as for each of their family members. This financial assistance can be used to offset the costs of medical travel from isolated locations, in addition to the other uses for which the SAF was established. A $15,000 dollar ‘float’ will be administered by the CMG to provide loans for immediate financial hardship while members wait for SAF grants regarding non-elective medical travel.
Freelancers – The minimum daily Technical Freelancer rate is now $400 a day, up from $280, and Graphic Designer & Stills Photographer Freelancers can now negotiate copyright. A pre-contract written engagement process affords better protections for Freelancers, and copyright clearance will be specifically addressed in w Freelance contracts.
Compensation – There is an immediate increase of 6.1% (which includes two years of retro pay) on April 8 this year, and will mean 12.57% more on our wages between March 2022 and April 2026. Retroactive wage increases in 2022 and 2023 were due to wage reopener clauses in the previous collective agreement, that allowed the parties to negotiate a further wage hike of 2% each in those years.
| Date of increase | % increase per year | Compounded increase | Notes |
| 01-Apr-22 | 2.00% | Additional over previous increase of 1.5% * | |
| 01-Apr-23 | 2.00% | Additional over previous increase of 1.5% * | |
| 08-Apr-24 | 2.00% | 6.12% | |
| 24-Mar-25 | 1.50% | 7.71% | |
| 06-Apr-26 | 1.50% | 9.33% | |
| Date of increase | % increase per year | Compounded increase | Notes |
| 01-Apr-22 | 3.50% | 3.50% | includes 1.5% already allocated |
| 01-Apr-23 | 3.50% | 7.12% | includes 1.5% already allocated |
| 08-Apr-24 | 2.00% | 9.26% | |
| 24-Mar-25 | 1.50% | 10.90% | |
| 06-Apr-26 | 1.50% | 12.57% | |
| *retroactive pay calculated on additional increase for 2022, 2023 | |||
In Solidarity,
CMG Bargaining Team at CBC/Radio-Canada,
Faith Fundal
Kat McMorrow
Saïda Ouchaou
Jagjit Panesar
Pauline Pemik
Jane Robertson
Naomi Robinson
Jonathan Spence
Matt Douglas, Sr. CMG Staff Rep
Marianne Malo Chenard, CMG Staff Rep