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Deborah Richmond photo
26 January 2005
3 unions ratify deal forged by Joint Council
Victoria-Vancouver
Island Newspaper Guild | TNG
Canada Local 30223
TNG/CWA British Columbia | TNG
Canada Local 30403
When members of a TNG Canada Local said yes today to a tentative
agreement with the Victoria Times Colonist, it was also a
vote of confidence in the Joint Council that forged the deal.
The three unions that represent workers
at the CanWest-owned daily newspaper — the Guild, CEP and GCIU — functioned
like a "well-oiled machine" in bringing the company
to agreement stage without having to resort to strike votes.
The Victoria-Vancouver Island Newspaper
Guild, whose 200 members work in editorial, advertising,
circulation, maintenance, information technology and the
business department, was the last of four bargaining units
to ratify the two-year contract that runs until Jan. 1, 2007.
The vote was 85-6 in favour.
The Local's president, Chris Carolan,
says the strike of 2002 greatly affected the recent bargaining: "The last
time, the company tried to gut our contract" and, as
a result, precipitated a bitter strike. "Both sides
realized how much damage was done" and the paper has
not recovered fully from the nine-week walkout.
This time around, says Carolan, the
company did not attempt huge clawbacks or make unreasonable
demands. For their part, the unions had only two issues
(number one on the wishlist was improved pensions) and
no reason to take a strike vote — almost
unheard of at the Times Colonist.
The Graphic Communications International
Union was seeking vacation pay at the straight time rate
currently paid to the employee or two per cent of the previous
T-4 slip for each week of vacation entitlement, whichever
is greater. The company objected to "whichever is greater." The
GCIU dropped this demand, which resulted in the Joint Council
reaching a tentative agreement, says Carolan.
Bargaining at the Times Colonist begins with each union
separately negotiating with the company on issues specific
to them; observers from the other unions attend these sessions.
In the second part of the process, all unions (Joint Council)
negotiate with the company at one table (Commons) on the
issues that pertain to all of them, including wage increases,
duration of contract, retroactivity, language, health and
welfare benefits.
This year, negotiations for the Commons commenced on Jan.13
at 9:30 a.m. and concluded with a tentative agreement at
7 p.m. It provides for wage increases of two per cent retroactive
to Jan. 2, 2005 and 2.5 per cent on Jan. 2, 2006. In addition,
there is an increase in the safety boots allowance and the
premiums for performing in an excluded (non-union) position.
And the company will pay up to $25 for each doctor note it
asks an employee to provide.
The Guild also won an hourly wage
increase of $1.50 for members of the circulation department's "duty team" (who
leap into the breach when there are newspaper delivery problems).
The GCIU's two locals represent 18 pressmen and platemakers,
who voted 11-8 for ratification last week.
The paper's dozen compositors, represented by the Communications
Energy and Paperworkers union, voted 10-1 for the deal last
week.
On Monday, TNG/CWA
Local 30403, which represents 42 employees
in the mailroom, ratified the agreement in a 29-3 vote.
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