Warning message

Please note that this page is from our archives. There may be more up-to-date content about this topic on our website. Use our search engine to find out.

Rimouski – Despite promises from Société Radio-Canada (SRC) to increase the presence of CBC’s French-language service at the regional level, one-third of technicians in Matane, Rimouski and Sept-Îles learned this morning that they were losing their jobs.

Management at Radio-Canada appears more interested in making cuts than in its primary mission as a public broadcaster,” stated Michel Labrie, vice-president of STARF, the union of technicians and tradespeople at Radio-Canada. “Management is not providing us with any clear plan for the future. How are they going to go about producing and broadcasting their programming without skilled employees?”

The Rimouski station hasn’t even been up and running for a year yet, and they want to move the station in Matane. How can they talk about showcasing the regional stations when they aren’t even giving these vital players a chance?”

In 2010, SRC President Hubert T. Lacroix launched the corporation’s five-year strategic plan entitled “2015 partout, pour tous” (2015: Everywhere for Everyone). The project focused on highlighting and strengthening once again the public broadcaster’s presence in outlying communities. Midway through implementation of this plan, SRC has yet to achieve its objective with respect to the regional population.

I am afraid that these stations are going to end up nothing more than empty façades at the mercy of the parent entity,” said Mr. Labrie.

STARF represents SRC employees across Quebec and in Moncton. The union is a partner of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which in turn represents SRC office workers and professionals. 


For more information:

Michel Labrie
Vice-president, STARF
Cell: 514-926-1100

Lisa Djevahirdjian
CUPE Communications
Cell: 514-831-3815