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10 December 2004
Amber re-elected CBC Branch president
in
national elections
Canadian
Media Guild | TNG Canada
Local 30213
Arnold Amber, Director of TNG Canada/CWA,
has won a three-way race for the presidency of the CBC Branch
of the Canadian Media Guild.
Amber, a producer at CBC television, was
declared the winner this afternoon over Joe
Hill
and Terry
Walker.
CBC is the largest branch of the Canadian Media Guild which,
in turn, is the largest Local of TNG Canada/CWA.
"The success of the CBC Branch is fundamental to the
success of TNG Canada," said Amber, who has been CBC
Branch President for three years. "CBC is the largest
employer of media workers in North America. Doing both jobs
is TNG Canada work," he said after his victory was announced.
In appealing to the membership for
their support, Amber noted that all CBC employees are worried
about the contract negotiations currently under way. "I
have fought the CBC in countless negotiations, but I have
never seen the CBC so determined to impose such a bad contract
on staff and contract employees alike," he wrote in
his pitch that appeared on the CMG website. He said that, if reconfirmed
in his role as President, it would give him "the legitimacy
and platform to speak out forcefully for all of us in the
crucial battle ahead."
Amber also identified as key planks in his low-key campaign
the need to build the union, starting with improved communication
between members and leadership; develop the Branch as a team
leadership group; and to develop the Guild's future leaders.
Members of the Guild voted by telephone in the national
election held Dec. 8 and 9. There were five positions in
contention, including the CBC Branch leadership.
Five candidates vied for three National Trustee positions.
The winners were Kerry Adams, Joe Holman and Christina Sorensen.
Arra Aravindhan defeated Greg Taylor for the National Executive
Committee's Director of Small Branches (fewer than 200 members).
In the CBC Branch, Fiona Christensen came in ahead of Mark
Szyszlo for the position of Director, Small Locations (fewer
than 50 members). And the Director, North is Dave Miller,
who outpolled Harmen Meinders.
Lise Lareau, who was earlier acclaimed
as CMG President, issued a letter to members on Dec. 7, urging them to participate in the election,
which came near the end of a year in which the Guild absorbed
1,500 new members who were formerly with the Communications
Energy and Paperworkers union. New positions were added to
the CMG's National Executive Committee (NEC) so that it would
be more representative of the expanding union.
The rest of the at-large positions on the NEC were filled
by acclamation. Scott Edmonds of the Canadian Press, who
was acclaimed as Vice-President At Large, also serves as
the Western VP of TNG Canada/CWA. Rick Basarke, from CBC
Toronto, returns as national Secretary-Treasurer.
Others returning to the NEC are Barbara Saxberg from CBC
Toronto as Director for Education, as well as branch Presidents
Colin Perkel (Canadian Press/Broadcast News), Rick Franolla
(Reuters), Don Genova (Freelance), Carol Burtin Fripp (TVOntario)
and Jerry Radford (APTN).
Lareau welcomed newcomers Brendan
Elliott from CBC Charlottetown as Director for New Members,
Datejie Green from CBC Toronto as Director for Human Rights
and equity, and Jean-Albert Maire from Radio-Canada Halifax
as Director for Francophone Issues. Pierre Claveau, Ralph
Legare and Martin O’Hanlon
will also sit on the NEC in their capacity as CBC branch
Vice-President and Treasurer and CP/BN Vice-President respectively.
(O'Hanlon also serves as Deputy Director of TNG Canada/CWA.)
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