As negotiations continue,
journalism students
asked to scab for Gazette
Montreal Newspaper Guild | CWA Canada
Local 30111
Contract talks at The
Gazette wrapped
up today amid media reports that a senior editor at
CanWest's news service was trying to line up journalism
students to file stories to the newspaper in the event
of a strike.
David Wilson, the CWA Canada staff
representative who is leading the negotiations, says
there was some progress over the last two days of bargaining
for Editorial and Reader Sales and Service, although
the employer still wants to eliminate union jurisdiction
over work performed at the CanWest-owned newspaper.
Wilson says two days of conciliation are scheduled
to begin Oct. 20, but the parties might be back at
the table next week.
Meanwhile, management appears
to be making preparations for a work stoppage. Macleans.ca
blogger Martin
Patriquin reported last night that "CanWest
News Service Editor-In-Chief Gerry Nott did the obvious
thing: he called up the local university and offered
to make scabs out of several journalism students."
Patriquin notes that "Concordia
Department of Journalism Director Mike Gasher, meanwhile,
is none too pleased with the soliciting of his young
charges."
He quotes from an email Gasher sent to students:
“It’s come to my
attention that some Concordia journalism students
have been approached by CanWest to replace regular
newsroom staff should there be a strike or lock-out
at The Gazette. While that decision is ultimately
up to you, I would caution you to think very carefully
about accepting such an offer as it is a form of
scab labour. Not only could it harm your reputation
and the reputation of our department within the journalistic
community, it interferes with the ongoing collective
bargaining process between Gazette journalists and
their employer.”
The CBC has since picked
up the story, which is also
spreading in the blogosphere.
The executive of the Montreal
Newspaper Guild, in a communiqué to members on Wednesday, expressed
its "disappointment that the employer has effectively
ended talks for a new contract for 37 members of the
Advertising unit by tabling (last Friday) what it calls
a 'final offer.' The Guild has offered to meet with
the employer to discuss Advertising issues further.
It is important to stress that the employer has not
withdrawn its attempt to claw back the union’s
jurisdiction over work in advertising by proposing
a clause that is so convoluted it would have the same
result."
Members of the three bargaining units, who gave their
negotiators a strike mandate on Sept. 28, were advised
by the MNG executive to remove all personal effects
from the workplace.