WorldJournalists Condemn “Strikebreaking” Use of Global Networks by Canadian PublicBroadcaster

19.08.2005.

The International Federation of Journalists andits regional organization the European Federation of Journalists today gavetheir full backing to around 5,500 journalists and media staff locked out by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and has condemned the company’s use ofglobal media networks – such as the BBC’s World Service Radio programmes – tofill gaps in its schedules.
The IFJ and the EFJ have called on the EuropeanBroadcasting Union, which groups together some of the world’s largest publicbroadcasters, to ensure that none of its members do anything to assist theCanadian public broadcaster which shut out its union staff on August 15talks on a new contract over the broadcaster's demand forthe unfettered right to hire contract and part-time workers to take jobs nowfilled by staff employees.
With everyone from journalists to technicians off the job,most of the original programming and news in particular, has ground to a haltwith the radio and TV airwaves filled with repeats and importedcontent.Thebroadcaster is using scarce management resources to supply newscasts to AirCanada, but relyingheavily onforeign news reports from the BBC for televisionnews.
“The use of one public broadcaster’s output toassist an attack by another on the careers and working conditions of its staffis strikebreaking of the worst kind,” saidAidan White, IFJ and EFJ GeneralSecretary. “The company should get back to the negotiating table and notcompromise the reputation of international public broadcasters by using them tofill the holes caused by their own belligerent attitudes tostaff.”
The IFJ and the EFJ have writtento the EBU, saying the use of the BBC and perhaps other broadcasters, such asthe English language service of German network Deutsche Welle, puts at risk thereputation of public broadcasters.
“Public broadcasters must notallow themselves to be used in national disputes,” wroteAidan Whitein a letter to Jean Réveillon, GeneralSecretary of the EBU. “When the work of one broadcaster is used to assistanother in their action against the workforce it is inevitably perceived asunacceptable interference and strike-breaking.”
The IFJ and the EFJ have alsoasked all their members, and in particular the National Union of Journalists inGreat Britain and Ireland and its affiliates in Germany, to work together withits Canadian member, the Canadian Media Guild (TNG/CWA), to prevent broadcastsfrom global networks being used to make up for missing local content.
Canadian Media Guild (CMG)negotiator and IFJ Executive Committee member, Arnold Amber said there are notalks underway. He said that a proposal to both parties by two federal mediatorson Tuesday to break the deadlock was rejected by management. “On behalf of our5,500 members, we strongly protest the position that the resumption ofnegotiations should be put off,” said Amber.
Last week, union leaders noted that the CBCbargaining committee had said it would not compromise. The CMG said that“management refuses to move from its position to permit entire classificationsof employees to be hired on short-term contracts. And it now refuses to bargainuntil the Guild agrees to that position — something the Guild has saidrepeatedly it will not do.
Both the IFJ’sUSaffiliates, the Newspaper Guild/CWA and AFTRA, the performers and news union,backed the Media Guild and instructed its own members not to do any work thatwould undermine the CBC staff position.
The IFJ is calling on all of itsaffiliates around the world to back the workforce at the CBC. “This dispute getsto the heart of the fight for public service values in broadcasting,” saidWhite. “The prioritiesof the CBC management show little respect for professionalism and social justicein the workplace. It appears to favour a commitment to commercial interestsrather than quality. A return to dialogue and meaningful negotiations isurgently needed.”

Povratak