The Guild met Friday, March 19 with management at The Canadian Press, as mandated under our collective agreement, to discuss the company’s formal notification of impending layoffs.
We spoke generally about application of the collective agreement, and how it will impact the staff reductions that the company has announced.
As indicated by Eric Morrison, the company expects to reduce staffing levels by approximately 23 positions; the objective is to reduce permanent staffing costs by at least $1.2M and perhaps as much as $1.4M. The number depends on who is ultimately laid off, as well as the number of people who depart voluntarily – either under the early retirement offer or the at-large severance package.
We discussed the needs and wishes of the individual employees who have received layoff notices, and we’ve opened preliminary talks with the company on their behalf on a strictly confidential basis.
At the Guild’s request, the company is also exploring how it will provide outplacement counselling services to those affected by the staff reductions.
We have also continued discussing with the company, as we began to during contract talks, how and where work can be reduced. This is particularly important given the smaller numbers of staff that will be available to produce the content that The Canadian Press needs to remain viable.
Further meetings will be held in the coming days and weeks as we work to ensure that the rights of everyone affected by this process are protected under the provisions of the collective agreement.
We will provide more information as we work our way through this troubling time.
Terry Pedwell
President, Canadian Press branch
Canadian Media Guild