Negotiators recommend acceptance
of good
deal in tough times
Canadian
Media Guild | CWA Canada
Local 30213
The committee bargaining on behalf of employees
at Thomson Reuters says it has reached a tentative agreement,
which it describes as a good deal given the uncertain economic
climate.
The two-year contract would provide a 2.5-per-cent
increase retroactive to April 1 and a further increase of
1.9 per cent in April 2010. No concessions were made and
there were no changes to the benefits package.
The bargaining committee is recommending
the 90 Canadian Media Guild (CMG) members — who work at Thomson Reuters
in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary — accept
the deal in a ratification vote it expects will be held before
the end of the month.
The difficulties surrounding scheduling of the 24/7 online
operation of the financial information and news agency, where
members work as reporters, photographers, technicians and
administrative staff, occupied considerable time during negotiations,
the committee reports.
"A variety of schedules were
produced in an effort to find ways to relieve the stresses
placed on employees working evenings, overnights and weekends.
Among other changes, maternity/parental leaves will now
be backfilled immediately, without the eight-week gap.
Two part-time employees will be engaged instead of one
full-time employee to fill the maternity leave. These part
timers will be hired specifically to work weekend shifts
to reduce the number of weekends current full-time staff
must work."
The committee, comprising Ka Yan Ng, Rick Franolla, John
McCrank and CMG staff rep Kathy Viner, says a detailed list
of all proposed changes, a ballot and return envelope will
be included in a package that will be sent to members in
the coming days.
This is an edited version of an article first posted on the Canadian
Media Guild website.