Corus workers take case for fair deal to public

CWA Canada members trying to bargain a new collective agreement with Corus Entertainment are taking their case for a fair deal to the public with a letter-writing campaign.

Workers in television operations at the Toronto-based company voted early this year to join the Canadian Media Guild (Local 30213) after Corus purchased and absorbed Shaw Media, where the CMG already represented employees.

Those new CMG members have been trying to negotiate a collective agreement with the company since March. Corus illegally took away benefits and reduced pension contributions after the TV workers voted to join the union.

Corus refuses to address a $10,500 wage gap between people doing similar work. Further, the company is offering an increase of only 1.0 per cent and a deal that would expire in six months.

The bargaining team said in a statement that Corus, which became a media empire as a result of the $2.65-billion deal, “is only pretending to negotiate (and is) capable of closing the wage gap. They need to stop punishing us for having joined a union and start treating us fairly.”

CMG has launched a campaign to encourage members of the public to send letters to Corus Entertainment CEO Doug Murphy and Executive Chair Heather Shaw, urging them to reach a fair collective agreement.

“We don’t believe Corus when management says it can’t afford to treat employees fairly. Shareholders are doing just fine. Profits are good. Make it happen.”

CMG, CWA Canada’s largest Local, represents workers at the CBC, VICE Canada, Thomson Reuters, The Canadian Press and other news and television organizations.