
Did you know?
You have the right to have a union representative present at any meeting between you and your manager and/or supervisor if the purpose of the meeting is to discuss any of the following:
Have you given us your personal email address? Not all announcements may be sent through the company's email system, so keep up to date with all important union announcements -- click here to join the CEP Local 723M mailing list.
Ever felt like you were destined to serve a higher purpose? Ever wanted to travel to exotic locations such as Cornwall, Saskatoon and Halifax? Do you enjoy talking at length with management and fighting the good fight?
Currently our local is accepting nominations for the positions of President, Treasurer and Steward.
If you are interested in becoming the President or Treasurer, please complete the Officer Nomination Form. You will require a nominator plus 15 signatures from any member of the local. Both of these positions are for a 2-year term starting July 1st.
If you think you can better serve your fellow brothers and sisters as a Steward, please complete the Steward Nomination Form. You will need a nominator and 3 signatures from members of the steward group you want to represent. Click Here to see a list of the steward groups that need representation.
Looking for Volunteers
Our Finance Committee, headed by Treasurer Jeanine Appleton-Bott, is seeking your participation. If you would like to share your financial knowledge and opinions on how our local's defence fund should be invested, this is the committee for you!
For more information on the finance committee, check out article 8.3.1 in the current by-laws.
If you are interested in participating, please email us at mail@ceplocal723m.com
Too much debt in Canwest deal: CEP
May 26, 2010
OTTAWA -- The sale of
Canwest’s newspapers, approved in principle last week by a bankruptcy
judge in Toronto, to an ad hoc committee of bondholders, mostly based
in the USA, does little to reassure 1,700 members of Canada’s largest
media union who work for the chain. “In fact this proposed sale under
the creditor protection process may be no solution at all to the debt
woes that got Canwest into bankruptcy protection in the first place,”
says Peter Murdoch, Vice-President, Media, of the Communications,
Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.
Under the deal, the new company will be saddled with
$700 million in loans from US banks. Plus there are other credit
arrangements with US hedge funds that will raise the debt load higher.
Murdoch points to media reports that a $400 million loan
being used to partially finance the purchase will pay extremely high
interest rates, in effect replacing debt that got Canwest into trouble
with another mess of junk bonds.
“It doesn’t add up,” he says. “Torstar, with over a
hundred years in this business, thought Canwest papers were worth $800
million, but financiers with no newspaper experience will pay $1.1
billion. We fear our members, other employees and the Canadians who
rely on these newspapers to keep them informed will ultimately pay the
price of yet more financial risk taking.
“And we have laws in place to protect Canadian ownership of critical
cultural industries, including newspapers. Can the laws simply be
ignored because the current government doesn’t believe in them?
“This proposed sale seems to satisfy the self-interest of banks, Wall
Street hedge funds and other creditors, but what about the journalists,
sales staff, press operators and others who will be left working for a
company that still has very high debt levels and is controlled by Wall
Street hedge funds?”
Rogers Memorandum Ratified
April 24, 2010
Members of Local 723M-Rogers Unit who work for Rogers Media Television (CityTv/Omni)
have accepted the Memorandum of agreement dated April 17th, 2010. The vote was close.
The Memorandum of Agreement was approved by 57.94% of voting members.
The Collective Agreement which expired Oct. 31, 2009 is renewed and
extended until Oct. 31, 2012. A copy of the Memorandum is available here for Rogers Members
CRTC "Saves Local Television" but fails to "Stop the TV Tax"
March 22, 2010
Evil genius logic at CRTC
Cable customers could see $10 monthly increase following CRTC decision
Canadians can afford rise in TV fees: CRTC
CRTC ruling fails to clear static over who pays for local TV
Employers’ union-bashing tactics lead to automatic certification
March 12, 2010
Toronto
- The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) issued an important and
far-reaching decision that may fundamentally change the approach
employers in Ontario take to future union organizing drives.
In its March 3rd decision, the OLRB ordered automatic certification of
the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada after
finding that the employer, Boehmer Box LP of Kitchener, threatened its
employees during a CEP organizing drive, in May 2008, by directly and
indirectly linking unionization with risks of plant closure and job
loss.
CEP’s case to the OLRB focused primarily on a series of union-bashing
letters distributed by the employer in the days leading up to the
representation vote.
The OLRB concluded that, as a result of the employer’s misconduct, the
true wishes of the employees were not likely reflected in the
unsuccessful representation vote conducted on May 15, 2008. The OLRB
further concluded that any other potential remedies to this violation
of the Act including ordering a second representation vote, would not
be sufficient to counter the effects of the employer’s misconduct.
“This is a victory for the employees of Boehmer Box and for workers
throughout Ontario who should be allowed to choose to form a union in
their workplace free from employer threats, intimidation and coercion,”
says Ontario Region Administrative Vice-President Kim Ginter.
“Since the mid 1990s when the Mike Harris Conservatives declared war on
workers and labour laws in Ontario, employers have become more and more
outrageous in their attacks on employees attempting to unionize,” says
Ginter. “This decision makes it clear to employers that they can no
longer cross the line and threaten the economic livelihood of their
workers in order to prevent them from freely choosing for themselves,
whether they wish to be represented by a union in their workplace”.
Visit www.cep.ca to read the OLRB decision.
Hearing Needed Into CITY-TV Local News Cuts
January 22, 2010
Ottawa - Canada's largest media union is asking whether the silence from the CRTC about the latest shutdown of local news at CITY television stations is the result of Heritage Minister James Moore muzzling the CRTC.
"Despite Canadians' overwhelming demonstration in the past several months of the importance of local news to their daily lives, the CRTC and the Harper government have been alarmingly tight-lipped about this drastic cut in local coverage," says Peter Murdoch, Vice-President Media for CEP, Canada's largest media union.
When Rogers bought the City stations in 2007, the billion-dollar media giant told the CRTC it supported the stations' "distinctive local programming." But now, just two years later, it has slashed local newscasts and laid off employees, despite the fact that from 2008 to 2009, local advertising revenues on Rogers' television stations jumped 41% - an amazing increase in the middle of a recession.
"While the Tories absent themselves from Parliament, big lobbyists like Rogers are given free rein to duck their promises to Canadians. And it appears the CRTC, Canada's broadcast regulator, has been told to go on vacation as well."
Murdoch says the CRTC should immediately conduct a hearing into the news cuts and if the Harper government didn't want to avoid Parliament, MPs on the Heritage Committee should be calling Rogers to task as well.
"There is something terribly wrong when a giant media company pays its Blue Jays baseball outfielder, $126 million and then cuts local news to save money. Shameful. Who is looking out for the interests of Canadians in this vital industry?"
More Information - Peter Murdoch at 613-230-5200
Notice to Members
Re: Rogers layoffs
Rogers’ Broadcasting Limited, Television Division implemented layoffs to twenty-nine full-time and seven part-time members on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. In addition seven “on air” reporters have also been laid off.
The Company said the layoffs were as a result of a slow economic recovery and poor ratings for some of its news programming. Management at Citytv Toronto has implemented a cut of 14 ½ hours of local news programming per week including the daily; news at noon, 5 p.m. news, and Citytv International. In addition weekend newscasts at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. have also been cut.
Employees in seven classifications including; Director, PA, Live Eye, ENG Camera, ENG Editor, Writer, and Electronic and Weather Graphics were affected. Two employees assigned to Omni Television also received layoff notices.
The notices were delivered to the junior employees in affected classifications who will have the option to accept layoff or bump junior employees in other classifications. In addition management has said it would accept volunteers in affected classifications who would not otherwise receive a notice but who could save a junior employee from layoff.
Since the deadline for bumping decisions is Thursday, January 21, at 5 p.m. volunteers will have to be identified quickly to avoid unnecessary displacement.
Collective Bargaining has been put on hold while the layoffs are conducted. Members of the Local Bargaining Committee were released to provide assistance and support to laid off members and members with layoff questions.
The Local has rented a meeting room at the Bond Place Hotel, next to Dundas Square, at 65 Dundas Street East to provide members with support. The meeting space will be open to members on Wednesday, January 20th from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Lunch provided.
In solidarity,
Local Executive Board
Vacation notice not intended for Union members
Vacation Accruals – Management at Rogers’ Television has confirmed that the notice to all employees dated December 18, 2009 does not apply to members of Local 723M. The notice stated that employees could only carry over a maximum of five days earned vacation into 2010 and the rest would be forfeit. Wayne Smith, Rogers’ Director Human Resources, says the notice was not intended for Union employees.
The Company can encourage employees to take their unused vacation, and if necessary, schedule an employee on vacation pursuant to Article 13.1.5 upon two weeks advance notice. Under no circumstances can an employer “delete” or allow an employee’s earned entitlement to be “forfeit” as this would be a violation of the Collective Agreement, and also, violate Section 185 of the Canada Labour Code:
Complaint filed with CIRB
CEP has filed a bad faith bargaining complaint against Rogers’ Broadcasting Limited over its announcement that it would unilaterally change the terms of employee benefit plans effective January 1, 2010. Rogers’ sent a letter to all Omni employees at the end of November detailing changes in health benefits. The Union asked the Company not to implement any changes as benefits are part of the Union’s bargaining agenda. Under the Canada Labour Code once notice to bargain has been given the Company may not change terms and conditions of employment without the agreement of the Union. On December 15, 2008 Roger’s signed an agreement with CEP stating that it would not change employee benefits pending renegotiation of the Collective Agreement. Citytv employees continue to be covered under the terms of the former ‘CHUM’ benefit plan.
CTV Ltd. Sale of DIC and Sex-Tv to Corus Entertainment
The Company's sale of DIC and Sex-TV to Corus Entertainment will not involve the transfer of any unionized staff. The Union had been informed of the transaction but was asked to keep it confidential.