Media Guild, CBC to talk until they reach a deal
MINISTER’S ORDERS ‘ Some of us do a heck of a lot more than just walk in parades’
OTTAWA —
The two warring sides of the CBC lockout have agreed to stay near the nation’s capital and negotiate until they reach a settlement.
Senior officials from the public broadcaster and the Canadian Media Guild were summoned Monday to the Gatineau, Que., offices of Labour Minister Joe Fontana, who threatened to lock them in until the dispute was resolved.
That may not be necessary, as both sides yesterday suspended verbal hostilities long enough to say they were willing to stick it out with federal mediators.
“Certainly that was our understanding of the intent of having the meeting yesterday, and we certainly came prepared,” said CBC spokesman Jason MacDonald. “Our folks have set up, brought the required computers and boxes of documents and all that.”
Canadian Media Guild spokeswoman Karen Wirsig agreed her side was in for the long haul too, after officials “got into the real nitty-gritty of negotiations” yesterday.
“[Fontana's invite’] is something that pushes things to a conclusion,” she said.
Picketers again stood at the gates of Parliament Hill, but didn’t disrupt the swearing-in of new Governor General Michaëlle Jean after CBC agreed not to cover the ceremony.
Instead, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in relative quiet with signs pointed down as Ms. Jean’s motorcade zipped by.
The renewed talks come as the lockout of 5,500 journalists, writers and technicians continues through its seventh week.
The stakes are higher than ever for staffers, who have been without wages for weeks, the broadcaster, which is at risk of jeopardizing its large revenuegenerating NHL hockey coverage, and federal Liberals, who will be dogged daily in the House of Commons until the dispute ends.
Mr. Fontana got into a bitter exchange yesterday with NDP Leader Jack Layton, after the latter accused the government of staying silent while CBC management “undermines” public broadcasting.
“Some of us in fact do a heck of a lot more than just walk in parades,” Mr. Fontana replied, a shot at Mr. Layton’s participation in CBC picket lines across the country since the Aug. 15 lockout began.
“ We have brought them to the table. They are there right now trying to negotiate through this so that Canadians get the service that they want, especially in our northern and remote communities.”
Mr. Layton later called the parade comment insulting and a slap in the face to picketers.
He demanded the Liberals order the CBC to let workers return while negotiations continue, despite the government’s insistence it must stay at arm’s length from the Crown corporation.
“This government is trying to hide behind the so-called arm’s length relationships all the time,” Mr. Layton said. “Why don’t they take some accountability?”