CUPE National President Paul Moist pledged the union’s support for locked out CBC workers today at a noon hour live webcast in Ottawa.
CUPE bought food for the picketers and Moist presented the Canadian Media Guild with a $10,000 “down-payment” of support.
“We want to see a CBC that gives its workers full time jobs, full time benefits and full respect,” Moist said.
It was day 31 of the lockout over the issue of temporary and contract workers. Even though more than a third of CBC’s employees are on contract, management insists it wants more, and it’s been willing to more or less silence Canada’s public broadcaster for over a month to get its way.
But the workers are showing no signs of giving up. They’ve launched an alternative news website, that surpasses the CBC’s, a strike website, and are even Podcasting daily.
They’ve also launched an online campaign to pressure Prime Minister Paul Martin and Heritage Minister Liza Frulla to intervene to end the lockout.
CUPE’s national executive board has passed a resolution pledging its full commitment to the CMG with a promise to lobby the CBC and the federal government to resolve the lockout. The NEB also urges members to support the picket lines of the CMG across the country.