|
01 December 2006
Veteran unionist, journalist
succeeds
Amber as CBC Branch President
Canadian
Media Guild | TNG Canada
Local 30213
Marc-Philippe Laurin has been chosen
by his colleagues to fill the shoes of Arnold Amber,
who resigned as the Canadian Media Guild's CBC Branch
President in October to become full-time Director of
TNG Canada/CWA.
Laurin defeated two other candidates
for the position in a by-election that saw 937 members
who work at the CBC cast their ballots in a national
online vote conducted Nov. 27-30. The bilingual broadcast
journalism veteran will finish out Amber's three-year
term, which runs for another year.
It was a close race, with Barbara Saxberg racking
up 332 votes, 50 fewer than the winner. Pierre Claveau
garnered 213 votes.
Also in contention in the by-election was the position
of CBC Branch Secretary, secured by Gail Young, who
defeated Kathryn Atkinson.
Laurin, who works in Ottawa,
describes himself as a "unifier, dedicated to the union movement, dedicated
to members." He has worked at the CBC for 33 years
and became involved in the union in 1981, eventually
becoming National President of the old Communications
Energy & Paperworkers (CEP) bargaining unit.
"After the One Union campaign
was over (in which CEP members voted to join the CMG)
... I knew how important it was for the two old units
to move as quickly and as smoothly as possible into
one new union ... " Laurin
writes in his campaign brochure. "At the time,
Ottawa had four Guild location units, and with the
support of all four location unit presidents and their
executives, we joined into one unit after some debate.
As a result, we were united and more than ready for
the Corporation’s lockout of 2005. ... I served
on the national lockout strategy committee. And I led
the Guild through a politically and technically difficult
balancing act during the days and hours leading up
to two key events that were in the national spotlight:
the Governor-General’s installation ceremony
and the Terry Fox broadcast. We had to show our strength
and keep the public on our side. We did both."
Laurin started at the CBC as a summer relief employee,
with a stint at Radio-Canada's station in Edmonton.
But he eventually landed in Ottawa, where he has been
ever since, working in television and primarily radio.
He notes that he has worked
on "every type of
program you can imagine, from daily shows to current
affairs to music programs, both local and national.
For the past five years, my regular gig has been as
Associate-Producer (with a stint as sportscaster for
the first two years) on the French morning show and
location trainer for the local staff."
The new CBC Branch President
says he has "done
the tough stuff that makes unions vital. I have negotiated
agreements, I have worked to reduce the impact of layoffs,
I have fought for individuals in various types of workplace
distress, and I have fought for grievances at local
and national grievance committees."
But he concedes that he's facing
a challenge: "Following
in Arnold Amber’s footsteps will not be easy;
it will be a group effort. But I think political strength
comes from the ability to find consensus among everyone
who wants to be involved."
And he's girding for the coming
year, during which is the renewal of the CBC's licences
and possibly a mandate review. "And we must
not forget the basics: making sure CBC management
fulfills its end of the agreement we fought so hard
for. We cannot let management get what it could not
get at the bargaining table, by our indifference." |
