Canadian Media Guild
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) is a trade union
representing employees at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(outside Quebec and Moncton), the Canadian Press
, Thomson Reuters
, Agence France-Presse
, S-Vox
, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
, CW (Canwest) Television, CJRC Radio in Gatineau, Que., and TVOntario
.
It is a local of The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America and is the largest media local union in North America.
It was formerly known as The Canadian Wire Service Guild and was created in 1950 by employees of The Canadian Press. It expanded to CBC newswriters, who carried it after a decertification campaign at The Canadian Press succeeded. CP employees rejoined and won a contract in 1976. The Guild, as it has always been known, increased in size from about 700 to more than 3,000 in 1993 when CUPE and ACTRA mermbers at the CBC voted to join. It adopted its current name in 1994. Four years later another 400 CUPE memebrs joined the Guild and, in 2003, CBC technicians, formerly represented by Communications Energy and Paperworkers, became part of CMG in a consolidation vote.
It is part of Ottawa-based CWA/SCA Canada, which is the Canadian arm of the 500,000-member Communications Workers of America, and also includes newspapers such as the Victoria Times Colonist, Montreal Gazette and Ottawa Citizen.
In recent history, on August 15, 2005, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation locked out its 5500 members in the Canadian Media Guild. The key point of contention was the broadcaster's insistence on more term contract employees in the future while guaranteeing no change in employment status for existing employees.
The dispute lasted eight weeks and ended with both sides compromising on this point.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representing employees at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(outside Quebec and Moncton), the Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
, Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters Corporation is a provider of information for the world's businesses and professionals and is created by the Thomson Corporation's purchase of Reuters Group on 17 April 2008. Thomson Reuters is headquartered at 3 Times Square, New York City, USA...
, Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
, S-Vox
S-VOX
S-VOX Foundation is a Canadian non-profit media organization dedicated to producing content on faith and spirituality.The organization is the successor to the non-profit entity that operated VisionTV, and later other related Canadian specialty channels, from 1988 to 2010...
, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is a Canadian broadcast and cable television network. APTN airs and produces programs made by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples...
, CW (Canwest) Television, CJRC Radio in Gatineau, Que., and TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
.
It is a local of The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America and is the largest media local union in North America.
It was formerly known as The Canadian Wire Service Guild and was created in 1950 by employees of The Canadian Press. It expanded to CBC newswriters, who carried it after a decertification campaign at The Canadian Press succeeded. CP employees rejoined and won a contract in 1976. The Guild, as it has always been known, increased in size from about 700 to more than 3,000 in 1993 when CUPE and ACTRA mermbers at the CBC voted to join. It adopted its current name in 1994. Four years later another 400 CUPE memebrs joined the Guild and, in 2003, CBC technicians, formerly represented by Communications Energy and Paperworkers, became part of CMG in a consolidation vote.
It is part of Ottawa-based CWA/SCA Canada, which is the Canadian arm of the 500,000-member Communications Workers of America, and also includes newspapers such as the Victoria Times Colonist, Montreal Gazette and Ottawa Citizen.
In recent history, on August 15, 2005, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation locked out its 5500 members in the Canadian Media Guild. The key point of contention was the broadcaster's insistence on more term contract employees in the future while guaranteeing no change in employment status for existing employees.
The dispute lasted eight weeks and ended with both sides compromising on this point.
External links
- Official site (English)