TNG Canada: Seasoned president of North Bay Local re-elected to lead charge against job outsourcing

Tom Ludwig photo
Photo: Local presidents show off Osprey shirts Dan Seguin, president of the North Bay Newspaper Guild, Linda Richardson, president of the Sault Ste Marie Typographical Union, and Brenda Halden, president of the St. Catharines Typographical Union, rallied members at their TNG Canada Locals in protest against Osprey Media's job outsourcing policies.

28 November 2006

Seasoned president of North Bay Local
re-elected to lead charge against
job outsourcing

North Bay Newspaper Guild | TNG Canada Local 30241

Members of the North Bay Newspaper Guild have chosen a time-tested leader to take them into what promises to be a tough round of bargaining with Osprey Media early in 2007.

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Dan D. Seguin, a press operator at the North Bay Nugget, is starting his second decade as president of the Local's executive following elections Sunday at a membership meeting.

Also re-elected were Gisele Carriere as Vice-President of the Production Unit, Glen Couvrette as Treasurer, and Diane Fink as Secretary. Dave Dale replaces Melissa Lefebvre as Vice-President of the Office Unit. Two new faces will now join the executive Board: Louise Meir for the at-large in the Production Unit, and Brandi Cramer for the at-large in the Office Unit.

The Local, which represents 83 employees in all departments at the Nugget, also voted in the national referendum on the creation of a Canadian Region within the Communications Workers of America. Results will be kept confidential until all of TNG Canada's Locals have voted.

Negotiations to renew agreements between the Nugget and the Guild’s two bargaining units that expire later this month are set to commence early in the new year. The Local’s bargaining committee is currently formulating its proposals, says Seguin.

Osprey Media is expected to continue its assault on job security, which has allowed it to set up call centres in Sarnia and Niagara Falls and shift Guild work to low-paid, non-union operations.

Osprey can expect to meet strong resistance in North Bay, which fielded a boisterous turnout last February in a five-city protest against the company's contracting-out policies. TNG Canada, estimating that more than 100 jobs could be lost at the nine Osprey dailies where the union represents workers in classified advertising and circulation, organized the campaign.

So far in 2006, the Lindsay Daily Post is the only Guild-represented Osprey newspaper that has been able to win a guarantee that it will not lose jobs to the call centres.