Barbara Saxberg is hoping to become
the next CWA Canada Eastern Vice-President. She announced
her candidacy for the TNG-CWA executive position at
the fall meeting in Halifax of the National Representative
Council.
Saxberg, fresh from being acclaimed
last week to another term as National Director of
Education for the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) and re-elected
as CBC Branch Secretary, has worked as an editor,
producer and host in Network Radio at the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation for 20 years.
“We’re most successful defending our
members, our work and our working conditions through
education, mobilization and inclusion. That’s
what leadership is about and those are my priorities," says
Saxberg, who created and continues to develop the
CMG's education program.
"When people know their rights,
when they have the skills to defend those rights, and
when they’re not afraid to defend those rights
because they know they’re not alone, we all grow
stronger. As unionists, we can offer hope and turn
it into meaningful action – action that gives
power to members and power back to the union.”
The executive of the CBC Branch of the Canadian Media
Guild has already passed a resolution supporting Saxberg's
candidacy, says branch president Marc-Philippe Laurin.
"We were pleased to hear that
Barb was running for the VP East seat. Over the years,
Barb has demonstrated untiring dedication to the union
in so many ways and at many levels," says Laurin. "She
has been a leader in educating our members, creating
innovative education programs enabling our 5,500-plus
members to be so much more active in their Locals across
Canada. That leadership is why the Branch has given
Barb Saxberg its full support."
Saxberg has served on two bargaining committees at
the CBC branch and was a leader in the creation of
the first contract language on employee rights, employment
and pay equity and anti-bullying. Saxberg has been
active in the CMG for more than a decade and has also
served as a delegate at the national and international
levels of the Guild for several years.
Nominations will take place at the TNG Sector Conference
in Rhode Island in February with elections to follow.
The VP East position came open when the incumbent,
Lois Kirkup, president of the Ottawa Newspaper Guild,
declared her candidacy for the international chair
position on the TNG-CWA Executive Board.
20 November 2007