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31 January 2007
Management repeats lockout threat
as conciliation gets under way
Halifax Typographical Union |
TNG Canada
Local 30130
The 14 pressroom workers at the Halifax
Herald Ltd. were greeted with more threats of being
locked out as they started the conciliation process
today.
In his opening remarks, management
negotiator Don MacDougall, who is the chairman of the
board, said the company would lock out the workers
if they maintained their position on some clauses that
have been in the collective agreement for more than
a decade.
“They seem intent on locking us out,” says
Darren Pittman, president of the Halifax Typographical
Union. “That’s what triggered our request
for conciliation to start with … they threatened
it back in December."
The two sides are apart on issues such as wages, early
retirement and jurisdiction. Talks are scheduled to
continue until Friday.
“I don’t know what kind of progress we
can make if they keep making that threat,” says
Pittman. “We keep trying to negotiate in good
faith but we’re met with that kind of attitude.
How can you get anything accomplished?”
The workers, who produce the
daily Halifax ChronicleHerald, have been without
a contract since last July 1. Having survived a 13-year
wage freeze and done a "fantastic" job
of modernizing the operation when a new press was installed,
they were infuriated to learn the employer was rewarding
them by seeking major concessions.
In October, they voted unanimously in favour of giving
their bargaining team a strike mandate.
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