Pittman's entry creates contest
for
Eastern VP position
It's official: There is now a race
for the position of CWA Canada East Vice-President.
Darren Pittman, president of the Halifax Local, has
announced that he's throwing his hat in the ring, going
up against Barbara Saxberg of the Canadian Media Guild.
Nominations will come to the floor
of The Newspaper Guild's sector conference which kicks
off Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island. CWA Canada's
Eastern and Western VPs sit on TNG-CWA's executive.
Scott Edmonds, the Western VP, is unchallenged in his
role and is expected to be acclaimed to the position.
Pittman says revitalization of the existing membership
of CWA Canada is key to strengthening the union and
he'd like to capitalize on growth opportunities as
well. Small Locals within CWA Canada also need a strong
voice to ensure their concerns are met, he says.
Pittman has been a photographer and picture editor
with the Halifax ChronicleHerald for 22 years, covering
events ranging from the Swissair plane crash in 1998
to the World Vision children of rural Nicaragua.
He has been involved with the Halifax
Typographical Union since the editorial unit was certified
in 1999, becoming shop steward after ratification of
the first contract. He served two terms as a shop steward,
then was elected to the editorial bargaining team,
and then president of the Local. He is currently in
his second term as president.
As president, Pittman has successfully bargained four
contracts in the past four years for the three units
in the Halifax Local. Each contract has seen significant
financial gains as well as solidifying or gaining protection
and benefits for the membership.
Members of CWA Canada whose workplace
is east of the Manitoba-Ontario border will be eligible
to vote when the election for Eastern VP is held this
spring.
