CMG Fredericton

The Fredericton Guild Blog signs off ... for now

2005-10-06T09:18:00.000-03:00

With the posting of the Picket Puppets video, the wrap-up of picketing by non-sock Guild members, and today's ratification vote, this blog site will be going into hibernation. Your humble blog editor will not be posting or maintaining this site on a regular basis.

The site will remain up indefinitely, however, and the Guild local may choose to keep it going as another communications options as we move into the post-lockout era.

If you want to copy any pictures, podcasts or other material, please do so now by right-clicking on what you want, and saving it to your hard drive. We will be copying the entire blog onto a CD for the Guild's archiving project, but it will be simpler for individuals who want material to copy it now.

Thanks to all who contributed to this experiment: Curtis for all the photos, Michael Stuart for maintaining the "thanks" page and donating server space, Don Flatt for helping to post the podcasts, George Butters for some server space in the first frantic week, Indy Media for server space, members of the public for posting comments and spurring more discussion, and anyone else who posted or helped and whom I have forgotten to mention.

During the lockout blogging and podcasting have proven themselves to be effective and even exciting new ways of communicating. Let's hope the CBC takes note.
Jacques

The last early shift!

2005-10-06T08:50:00.000-03:00

The last morning shift of the CBC 2005 Lock-Out.
L-R Barb, Richard, Lori,Vanessa, Myfawnwy, Terry, and Catherine.

The Picket Puppets

2005-10-06T04:55:00.000-03:00

Enjoy the adventures of Larry Lockout, Paul Picket, Lucy Loqout, Vicki Viewer and Counter MacBean (the management puppet). Low Quality Windows Media (.wmv) 4.8mb High Quality Quicktime (.mov) 20.3MB

Final token of appreciation!

2005-10-06T00:02:00.000-03:00

Sarah adds a few finishing touches to the sign she created as a thank you to the commuters. They have been exceptional in their positive show of support for us. Thanks again.

One final visit.

2005-10-06T00:00:00.000-03:00

Heather Robinson's mother paid us one final visit this afternoon. She is just too cool!

Temps being laid off!

2005-10-05T23:57:00.000-03:00

These guys have been told that they are no longer needed, and will be retired as soon as the ratification vote is taken. (more to the story...)

Thank you from all of us!

2005-10-04T22:37:00.000-03:00

This is something we have waited 51 days for...the end of the Lockout. Here Terry Seguin, Pat Callighan, and Deb Nobes wave to passing traffic. We all want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all shows of support during this difficult time.
The picket line is to remain in effect until the ratification vote later this week.

Day 51...Celebrating a victory!

2005-10-04T22:33:00.000-03:00

Entertainment on the morning shift. The band members are:

Jeannine Gallant (on the trombone)
Matt  Robinson (on trumpet)
Vetch (on guitar)
Mark Winchester on drum set.

"It became a work of art, this labour dispute"

2005-10-03T15:46:00.000-03:00

The Guild's CBC branch president Arnold Amber gave an interview to Tod Maffin's CBC Unplugged, following the announcement of the agreement, in which he commented on blogs and other tools that become part of the Guild strategy across the country:

To all our members who throughout this lockout worked so hard to get the public involved, to get politicians involved, to create as well incredible imaginative websites, this is a new modern age labour dispute that our members carried out to the fullest. Many people had a great time on the line and did some of the most imaginative and thoughtful things, and it became a work of art, this labour dispute. I thank that all the people for their support, their activity, and we couldn't have gotten at the table what we did without all that help, so I want to thank all of them.

You can read the full transcript, or listen to the audio, at Tod's site.

Chris Turner: Our Hero

2005-10-03T11:09:00.000-03:00

This is Chris Turner, one of our technicians at CBC Fredericton. For the last eighteen months, Chris has sacrificed a great deal of his time and family life to sit on the Guild's national negotiating committee. Chris has worked extremely hard to get us the tentative deal that was struck early this morning. We owe him a huge amount of thanks. Way to go, Chris! Come home soon!

WE HAVE A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

2005-10-03T07:26:00.000-03:00

More details are available at the Guild negotiations web site. We'll have more information soon on when we'll be back on the air.

Thanks to everyone for your support over the last seven weeks! There is a definite feeling within the union that the pressure on federal MPs really helped move things along, so a special thanks to everyone who called or wrote their Members of Parliament.

Keep the pressure on

2005-09-30T14:04:00.000-03:00

It's the end of week seven and negotiations are continuing in Ottawa. It's our belief that public pressure is what convinced federal Labour Minister Joe Fontana to summon both sides to Ottawa in the first place. But there is always a risk that talks will derail.Continued public pressure on the government will convince the minister to keep pushing for a deal.

If you care about the CBC and public broadcasting, it's critical that your voice is heard now. Please click here to contact Labour Minister Joe Fontana and tell him to continue his efforts to end the lockout.

This week's FREDERICTON UNLOCKED featuring Shelagh Rogers

2005-09-30T09:11:00.000-03:00

This week's show featured Shelagh Rogers as a special guest host. Here's the audio.

N.B. Liberal leader to feds: Push for a deal

2005-09-29T18:34:00.000-03:00

New Brunswick Liberal leader Shawn Graham visited the Fredericton picket line today and told locked-out Guild members that he's written a letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin, urging the federal government to push for an end to the lockout.

Excerpts from the letter:

With the lock-out currently in its seventh week, these CBC employees and their families are facing difficult economic times.

Although the CBC is continuing to broadcast, it is not currently fulfilling its role as a public broadcaster. It is important that CMG members return to work as soon as possible to ensure that quality coverage of local, regional and national issues can resume.

I am glad to see that Joe Fontana, your Minister of Labour, has decided to play a positive role in bringing both sides together in this dispute. I would certainly urge you, and your Minister, to use your good offices in bringing the lock-out to an end and ensuring that a fair contract between the CBC and its CMG employees is put in place.

Graham told members today that he has contacts in Fontana's office, and he will use them to make sure the minister keeps the pressure on for a deal.

Graham is the second New Brunswick party leader to visit the picket line in Fredericton. Newly elected NDP leader Allison Brewer visited yesterday. So far, Premier Bernard Lord has not responded to invitations to drop by.

Group picture

2005-09-28T18:56:00.000-03:00

Day 45. Warm, sunny, and a behive of activity. Shelagh posed for a group photo with members from the 2-6 p.m. shift and others. Standing, L-R: Mark, Ed (partially hidden), Kevin, Jolene, Curtis, Debbie, Shelagh, Catherine, Lori, Bob, Jennifer, Stéphane, Joe, Jacques, Darryl. Kneeling: Sarah, Sue (Shelagh's producer), Mary-Pat, Don.

Shelagh Rogers visit

2005-09-28T18:51:00.000-03:00

Here Shelagh tries to match wits with the all knowledgeable Bob Mersereau.

It was great having her join us on the picket line today. It created a lot of activity on the line with students and listeners dropping by to talk with everyone.

Shelagh Rogers visit

2005-09-28T18:49:00.000-03:00

Thom Swift of Hot Toddy told Shelagh that he attributes a lot of the band's success to exposure on CBC, and he said he's worried that the impact of the lockout will have on their new album, "Live at the Blackbox," recorded with another New Brunswick band, Isaac & Blewett. Thom is so grateful for CBC's coverage over the years that he offered to wear a lockout t-shirt during the band's upcoming tour. Here he is checking out the shirt with Shelagh.

Shelagh Rogers Sept 28th

2005-09-28T18:38:00.000-03:00

Shelagh met with Thom Swift of the local band "Hot Toddy." Here Jacques is recording a song that Tom sang for us. Jacques also recorded an interview between Shelagh and Thom that will be part of this week's Fredericton Unlocked, 7:30 a.m. Friday on CHSR 97.9 FM.

It was Shelagh Rogers Day today in Fredericton

2005-09-28T16:03:00.000-03:00

Shelagh Rogers picketed in Fredericton today. She met many CBC listeners who would like the lockout to end so that she can get back to hosting Sounds Like Canada. Shelagh is keeping a blog of her visits to lines across the country so keep checking there for her account of her visit.

During her day on the Fredericton picket line, Shelagh took questions from a class of journalism students at Fredericton High School, and also interviewed Thom Swift of Hot Toddy about the band's new CD. You'll be able to hear both of those items on this week's Fredericton Unlocked, Friday at 7:30 a.m. on CHSR 97.9 FM.

CBC Adrift

2005-09-27T22:33:00.000-03:00

Adrift? By all accounts, yes! At least while the current leadership stays the course. Commuters were treated to this group today; afraid the the ship is sinking and they need their life jackets . It would be a wonderful treat to see Senior management do the right thing, and get the CBC back on the right course. End this immoral lockout; lobby government for the right funding model; end the political patronage within the Board of Directors; and finally, make staff feel as though they were welcome members of the workforce.

Anthony Germain of The House on the CBC in crisis

2005-09-27T10:59:00.000-03:00

We've just added a link to the column at right for an excellent piece by Anthony Germain about why the CBC is in crisis. It's found under "Other Links" and is well worth reading.

Jack Layton pays us a visit

2005-09-24T13:07:00.000-03:00

NDP leader Jack Layton found our information picket line at the market. He is another strong supporter of the CBC and will be demanding that Robert Rabinovitch address Parliament to explain and justify his actions. Mr. Layton says that CBC should be considered an essential service in Canada. He had a few strong words of support for our situation, and wants it resolved as soon as possible. He also voiced serious concerns regarding Rabinovitch's accountability to the people of Canada, and the loyalty of the current Board of Directors of the CBC.

Day 41-Saturday morning at the Farmers Market

2005-09-24T12:59:00.000-03:00

Another sunny and crisp morning in Fredericton. Several of the Fredericton CMG members spent a few hours handing out flyers and postcards at the local Farmers market. Here Sarah Tranor, Don Flatt and Danielle Nerman enjoy some breakfast. Danielle officially leaves us to go to Rogers Radio on Monday, and we are all sorry to see her go. She is leaving CBC as a contract employee to go to a staff position ar Rogers. She was told by her new employer that, with the exception of very rare occasions, "all employees are staff". Too bad CBC can't make the same claim.

Day 40 picture

2005-09-23T13:31:00.000-03:00

Autumn is definately in the air! The weather has changed and the temperatures are starting to drop. Here Don Dickson is bundling up to keep the cold wind at the top of Regent Street at bay. Ellen is demonstrating just how tough Newfoundlanders are by wearing just a t-shirt.

This week on FREDERICTON UNLOCKED

2005-09-23T09:02:00.000-03:00

This week's radio show is now available on-line by clicking here. We look back on the career of NDP leader Elizabeth Weir and check out how soldiers from CFB Gagetown helped out in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Fredericton Unlocked is back next week with Terry Seguin and Vanessa Blanch ... Friday at 7:30 a.m. on CHSR 97.9 FM.

Welcome back Dan!

2005-09-20T14:36:00.000-03:00

Here's a person we all missed over the past 6 weeks. Dan Goodyear has finally made an appearance after dealing with a few personal issues. Great to have you back Dan.

Breakfast on the BBQ

2005-09-20T14:32:00.000-03:00

Paul Leger cooks breakfast on a portable barbeque for a few of the locked out employees. Bacon, eggs and toast were on the menu.

Andy Scott voices support

2005-09-20T14:30:00.000-03:00

Andy Scott talking with Barb Roberts and Terry Sequin during his visit. Andy has always been a staunch supporter of the CBC.

Andy Scott visits the line

2005-09-20T14:27:00.000-03:00

Fredericton MP Andy Scott paid the picket line a visit this morning. He spent about 20 minutes and answered some questions. He also shared a few details as to his plan of action regarding the Lock-Out.

Letter of support

2005-09-19T22:42:00.000-03:00

Mr. Steven Hawkes from Nackawic dropped by the picket line this afternoon with a letter he had written to Ms. Lisa Frulla, Heritage Minister. Click here to read it.

Road Warriors

2005-09-18T15:05:00.000-03:00

Guild members Michael Stuart from Fredericton and Saint John's John Chillibeck braved the elements Friday to attend a CMG rally in Kingston, Ontario. Both are visiting with family in Ottawa and doing their picket duties there. Michael reports:

I've been here one week and John, two. We do most of our picketing outside the CBC's main entrance on the Sparks Street Mall. At least one hour is also done a block down on Queen Street where the managers enter the back door every day.

There's a trailer on Sparks Street and a sound stage set up. Noon hour programs (both English and French) are done each day with interviews and musical guests.

On Friday, more than a hundred locked out workers (20 from Ottawa and 80 from
Toronto) bussed to Kingston. Only one reporter works out of that city, but listeners there are very supportive of CBC programming.

We started out at Queen's University where an hour-long live radio show was broadcast on the campus station. It featured locked out employees such as Marylou Findlay of 'As It Happens' and national TV reporter Keith Boag among others. Guests included both supporters and critics of CBC and there were a number of call-ins from local listeners.

Then CBC employees and members of several other unions in the Kingston area marched through the downtown to a park outside City Hall. Despite the thunder, lightning and heavy rain, the turnout was good.

After the speeches, Kingston native Sarah Harmer showed up to perform two songs. She said artists across Canada are disappointed with the lockout and that the workers have their support.

Lockout unnecessary, says federal minister

2005-09-16T15:58:00.000-03:00

A federal cabinet minister who used to chair an informal "CBC caucus" of MPs says he doesn't think the corporation needed to lock out its workers.

Andy Scott, the MP for Fredericton, told local members of the Canadian Media Guild that he doesn't understand "why we can't be receiving services while we're waiting" for the negotiating committees to reach a contract.

Scott met with four locked-out members of the Guild at his riding office in Fredericton. He said he hopes to meet other Guild members if he can schedule a courtesy call to the picket line for next week, before he returns to Ottawa for the resumption of Parliament on Sept. 26.

"I would like to expedite the process" of pushing the two sides towards a deal, Scott said. He noted that his constituency office has received more calls from people complaining "with intensity" about the lockout than about rising gas prices. Of those calls, about 94 per cent are running in favour of the workers, with a tiny minority favouring management's position.

Scott says he will raise the Guild's concerns in Ottawa. He was told about the sorry record of labour relations under current CBC executives, and also heard the Guild's view that the corporation should not be receiving its money from Parliament when it is not providing programming to Canadians.

"I will take to government in a very strong way that a quick resolution is critical, and that I don't understand why we can't be receiving service while we're waiting," he said.

Scott also invited Guild members and supporters to attend his annual constituency barbecue, being held from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at Wilmot Park, near the Gazebo.

First edition of FREDERICTON UNLOCKED a success!

2005-09-16T09:56:00.000-03:00

Terry Seguin and the CBC Radio team returned to the airwaves this morning with 40 minutes of the kind of programming CBC listeners have been missing. Terry and Vanessa Blanch hosted Fredericton Unlocked, which will air every Friday at 7:30 a.m. on CHSR 97.9 FM. We'll feature a half-hour (or more) of interviews and information about stories taking place in the Fredericton area.

We have no way of measuring the number of listeners who tuned in this morning, but several people who passed the picket line later in the morning said they'd heard it. "It was so great to hear Terry and Vanessa this morning," one woman yelled as she pedalled by on her bicycle. We can tell you that, from our point of view, it was equally great to be bringing you a radio show again. Another measure of listener interest is that when we held a phone-in contest for Harvest Jazz and Blues tickets this morning, the phone lines filled up immediately with callers.

You can hear the show by clicking on the link under "podcasts" in the column at right, or by clicking right here.

Special thanks to Melissa Montgomery and everyone at the UNB campus station, CHSR, for making this possible. We'll be back on the air every Friday at 7:30 a.m. until the lockout ends.

Thoughtful words of encouragement

2005-09-15T23:17:00.000-03:00

The local Nurses union dropped by today and left a few thing for us. Among them was a poem that they wrote with heartfelt words of encouragement. Click here to read it.

Tory MP: CBC is not Wal-Mart; Rabinovitch should testify

2005-09-15T19:47:00.000-03:00

Longtime Conservative MP Greg Thompson says he will work towards having CBC president and CEO Robert Rabinovitch testify before the House of Commons Heritage Committee when Parliament resumes later this month.

Thompson met on Thursday with locked-out members of the Canadian Media Guild who work in Fredericton. Parts of his riding, New Brunswick Southwest, receive the CBC signal from Fredericton.

Thompson told the Guild members that Rabinovitch is "not answerable to anybody" since he's been filling in as chairman of the CBC board for most of this year. The board is supposed to oversee the performance of top executives like Rabinovitch.

"He has an obigation to appear before the Committee," Thompson said, "because the Canadian people are entitled to know where the CBC is going. We can't allow Mr. Rabinovitch to hide under the furniture for the next five or six weeks."

The government has named a new chair, Guy Fournier, whose appointment must be reviewed by the Heritage Committee. That should provide the committee with a rationale to call Rabinovitch as a witness as well, Thompson said.

On the issue of demands by CBC management to hire new employees on contract, Mr. Thompson remarked that "You can't run a national broadcaster like Wal-Mart." He said one of his biggest frustrations with the media is being interviewed by reporters who don't understand the history or context of a story.

Thompson told the Guild members he's been holding back on a news conference, about a probe into the use of Agent Orange at CFB Gagetown, until the CBC returns to normal operations. He said the CBC broke the story and is the only broadcaster with the ability to pursue it.

Some of his constitutents who live near CFB Gagetown believe they developed serious health problems, some fatal, because of exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides on the Base.

A CBC investigation led to an angry public meeting with top defence officials earlier this year. It was televised live across the country by CBC and led to a federal probe of concerns among military personnel, veterans and nearby residents.

Thompson said he misses that kind of coverage now, given he's joined the fight against plans for LNG terminals on the Maine side of Passamaquoddy Bay, just across the water from the small town of St. Andrews.

"Without the CBC, you can't ratchet stories on LNG to the national level. Only the CBC has the ability to take a little local St. Andrews story and put it on the national news," Mr. Thompson said.

You can now hear The Gardening Phone-In: The Lockout Edition

2005-09-15T15:06:00.000-03:00

We've added a link to allow your to listen to our special lockout edition of the popular Gardening Phone-In with George Scott. It's hosted by well-known morning newswoman Vanessa Blanch. You can find the link under the "podcasts" heading at right, or you can click here.

The Guild loves the festival

2005-09-15T01:25:00.000-03:00

Like many people in the Fredericton area, members of the Canadian Media Guild look forward every year to the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, the city's premiere cultural event. CBC is a sponsor of the event, and every year the partnership between the corporation and the festival is great for both parties.

This year, things have changed. Because management has locked out members of the Guild, it has forced the cancellation of the annual jazz and blues breakfast, at which festival musicians perform live at the Boyce Market as a fundraiser for local school music programs. The show, which is usually broadcast on Information Morning, is not taking place this year.

Because many festival-goers are CBC listeners and viewers, Guild members will be setting up information pickets at some festival venues. We have no intention of disrupting shows or stopping people from enjoying them: In fact, we hope this year's festival is a success despite CBC management's best efforts. We'll be handing out leaflets explaining the issues in the dispute and asking people to e-mail members of the CBC board.

Today a few of us picketed during the set-up of the Blues Tent at City Hall. Two technicians based at Radio-Canada in Moncton, where there is a different union that is not locked out, showed up to set up their mobile recording truck to tape some concerts for broadcast. The technicians refused to cross our picket line until a manager from Moncton, Benoit Quenneville (with the beard), came to Fredericton to escort them through the line.

(This scene unfolded under the watchful eyes of two private security guards hired by the CBC. That's one of them in the yellow shirt. Since festival organizers and the mayor of Fredericton greeted us warmly during our picket, we can't understand why CBC felt the need to watch us in this way.)

Day 31 pictures

2005-09-14T12:25:00.000-03:00

Lori Wheeler and Terry Seguin prepare a few sandwiches for the gang.

Day 31 pictures

2005-09-14T12:23:00.000-03:00

A bit of a treat for the guys and gals on the line this morning; barbequed breakfast!

We want YOU ... to think twice about the CBC

2005-09-13T23:19:00.000-03:00

One of our technicians has taken what appears to be a CBC recruitment video and has done a creative re-editing to reflect the reality facing people who may be thinking of careers with the Corporation. Click here to Play/Download.

Transcript of Moncton Radio commentary

2005-09-13T23:00:00.000-03:00

Dr. Douglas Mantz from Sackville, N.B. recently aired a commentary on the CBC lockout at the Moncton Radio Canada plant. This is a link to the transcript of that commentary.

Day 30 picture

2005-09-13T22:51:00.000-03:00

It was a quiet day on the line today. Here Barb Roberts and Deb Logue enjoy a coffee in the early morning hours. Notice the wall of mist over the Saint John River in the background.

And then there were three....

2005-09-13T00:08:00.000-03:00

Lori Wheeler showed up on the line this morning with two more sock puppets. Here she is mesmerizing Paul Leger...actually, it takes far less to mesmerize Paul!!

On the left is Lucy Lockout, and the right is Paul Picket. Lockout Larry, shown further down, made his appearance on Day 26.

Day 29 picture

2005-09-12T15:35:00.000-03:00

And finally, the littlest visitor today. This is the 3 week old granddaughter of George Andrews, one of our television editors and trainers. She got quite a bit of attention.

Day 29 picture

2005-09-12T15:30:00.000-03:00

More visitors at lunchtime! Here, from the Daily Gleaner, are Forrest Orser, Lori Gallagher, Steve Llewellyn, and Shannon Hagerman. They are members of the Fredericton Typesetters Union, Local 664 (Newspaper Guild), and provided the chicken lunch. They also walked and talked over their lunchbreak.

Day 29 picture

2005-09-12T15:28:00.000-03:00

Everyone enjoyed a treat of a chicken lunch today compliments of our colleagues at the Daily Gleaner.

Day 29 picture

2005-09-12T15:25:00.000-03:00

This was a busy day. There were many visitors to the line and a general meeting. Here Gerry Whelan talks with Catherine Veysey and Mark Gray.

Day 27...Boyce Farmers Market

2005-09-10T09:10:00.000-03:00

Another loyal listener getting her question answered by George. The show will be on the site as soon as possible, so please check back often.

Day 27...Boyce Farmers Market

2005-09-10T09:02:00.000-03:00

On a cold, crisp morning, Vanessa and MyFanwy talk to George Scott about gardening issues. At 7:00am on this brisk morning there were very few people around quite yet to get questions answered. Did I mention it was cold!

Assembly line!

2005-09-10T00:37:00.000-03:00

The requests are still coming in!! Curtis has been busy making the t-shirts for the members that ask.

Day 26 pictures

2005-09-10T00:35:00.000-03:00

Catherine Veysey created this little guy, dubbed Lockout Larry. Look for him as you drive by.

Day 26 pictures

2005-09-10T00:32:00.000-03:00

We all hope that this won't be the case, but this may be another sunrise that we have to experience while we find the doors to CBC locked. Here is Terry Sequin and Barb Roberts; still working the morning shift.

Come to our Gardening Phone-In on SATURDAY

2005-09-09T19:49:00.000-03:00

The special locked-out, phoneless edition of Information Morning's popular Gardening Phone-In with George Scott is ready to go! Members of CMG Fredericton, who were blocked from doing their jobs starting on Aug.15, will be on the Brunswick Street sidewalk just outside the Boyce Farmers' Market this coming Saturday, Sept. 10, from 7 to 8 a.m. George will be there with us. Look for George in his spiffy green shirt and CMG members in their -- uh -- spiffy lockout placards!

If you have a gardening question for George, just walk right up and introduce yourself. We'll record your question and George's answer right on the spot. We'll edit the questions and answers into a single audio file, which you'll be able to download and listen to from this site.

It's our way of saying that we care about our listeners and about the programs we work hard to bring them.

A Fredericton member on the Toronto picket line

2005-09-09T14:37:00.000-03:00

Fredericton CMG member Jacques Poitras is in Toronto to attend a wedding and dropped by the picket line outside CBC's Toronto Broadcast Centre. He reports:

The Toronto picket line is certainly different in atmosphere and in numbers from the Fredericton line. The building sits on a full city block, and it takes a good 5-10 minutes to do one circuit of the building with the picket line. As well, every day at noon the Guild organizes something in Simcoe Park next to the building -- live music, food, speeches of support from other labour organizations, etc.

Many people I spoke to asked about how things are going in Fredericton, and were happy to hear about the overwhelming public support we've been getting. They were also very encouraging about our initiatives like the gardening phone-in and the Fredericton Unlocked show that we're going to launch on Sept. 16 on CHSR 97.9 FM.

Guild president Lise Lareau addressed a crowd of about 75 members today and said there has been more progress, albeit minor, at the negotiating table, and that both sides have agreed to keep talking on Saturday and Sunday, which she takes as a very good sign. Lise later told me that, in a normal situation, it should take no more than two more weeks for the negotiating teams to finish the work left to be done. But that's assuming CBC management behaves rationally, which it hasn't been doing so far. Still, her tone was optimistic.

CBC Mailing...

2005-09-08T10:38:00.000-03:00

One of our members got the junk mailing from CBC, and his daughter had her way with it. The envelope is now actually more informative than the contents. Good work Maggie! It has since been "Returned to Sender".

The smallest picket!

2005-09-07T23:07:00.000-03:00

This little guy was discovered walking the line with us this afternoon. After a few minutes of enjoying everyones undivided attention, he made his way off the line and into the grass.

Podcast Day on the picket line

2005-09-07T20:29:00.000-03:00

CMG members in Fredericton got a chance today to listen to the various podcasts (on-line radio shows) being produced by locked-out Guild members across the country. Don Flatt brought in a laptop computer and a big speaker so we could listen to some of the shows he downloaded last night, from locations as diverse as Vancouver, Ottawa, Regina and Yellowknife. We also listened to Shelagh Rogers' podcast of her journeys across the country so far. These podcasts are available to you at cbcunplugged.com.

CMG members in Fredericton are on the verge of being able to announce our own return to the airwaves, both on radio and on the web. Watch this site for more news in the days to come.

Day 24 picture

2005-09-07T17:12:00.000-03:00

Hmmmmm! To the lowest bidder?

Day 24 Picture

2005-09-07T17:05:00.000-03:00

Stephan and Jacques look over the deals at a local restaurant. This would have gone unnoticed, but they were really studying it!

Day 23 picture

2005-09-06T21:54:00.000-03:00

This is the result of 6 hours of walking in circles in the hot sun. Jacques Poitras sits back to rest his feet and nods off for a few moments.

Day 23 pictures

2005-09-06T21:50:00.000-03:00

A CBC welcome back from vacation! Debbie Logue and Catherine Veysey rejoin the staff after several weeks away.

Day 22...Labour Day

2005-09-05T16:27:00.000-03:00

The parade took about an hour, and ended at a local park. Families were invited to a free barbeque and a day of fun. Here is a picture of the CBC gang that attended.

Day 22...Labour Day

2005-09-05T16:25:00.000-03:00

Spirits were high as we walked through the Saint John streets. Along the way we were greeted by many honking horns, and many people looking for post cards.

Day 22...Labour Day

2005-09-05T16:22:00.000-03:00

It was a beautiful day in Saint John for a parade. The CBC contingent met at Harbour Station and were first in line after the Labour Bell.

CBC management responds to comments, not complaints

2005-09-03T19:39:00.000-03:00

Early last week, my mother-in-law went to the CBC feedback page and selected "complaint," then sent in her criticisms of the awful coverage that's been on since the lockout began. She received no reply.

Today, she selected the "comment" category and sent the same negative feedback. She received this automated reply:

Thank you very much for your comments regarding our current labour situation and the alternative programming we are offering. We will share your thoughts with our senior management team and our contingency programmers, and will answer any questions you may have as quickly as possible. For updated program schedule information, please visit www.cbc.ca/programguide/.

In other words, CBC is responding to "comments" but not "complaints."

Have some fun and try it yourself!

Meeting with the STUdents' Union Pres.

2005-09-03T19:16:00.000-03:00

By Michael Caissie, STU Class of 05

This week I took time off marching on the picket line in Fredericton to meet with the St. Thomas University Students' Union president, Sofia Rodriguez. The meeting was a few days in the making, and during that time Sofia was able to stop by the picket line to talk with some members of the Fredericton unit of the Canadian Media Guild but she still had many questions about what is actually going on.

Sofia is the first of a few association presidents that we would like to meet at STU. The reason we have decided to approach these reps is that CBC Fredericton has a unique relationship with the university. During the school year a number of journalism classes are held in the basement level of the CBC plant which STU has rented. These classes will resume late next week.

In my own personal experience (being a former student of the journalism program at STU) this partnership is invaluable to students and the industry, as new journalists are trained in a newsroom environment and are able to move upstairs to intern and train under the guidance of the CBC workers. In a sense, Guild members working at CBC become teachers to these students,and damn good ones at that.

It is because of our committment to the development of our profession and industry that the unit has decided to allow students and their professor, Daryl Gray (a former CBC employee and therefore no stranger to labour disputes), to cross the picket line for their classes. Students will then be allowed into STU's part of the building to attend their classes and use the STU facilities for their own personal projects.

Students will be asked to recognize the picket line, and acknowledge the workers who are locked-out and fighting for all sorts of reasons. But perhaps they would be most interested to learn that the CMG is also fighting for people who may soon find themselves in my position: a
recent graduate, up to my neck in student loans, and looking for a secure job doing the work that I love before the creditors come calling.

It is a very disheartening position to start life in the 'real world' knowing that I have paid over $40,000 to train myself to work for someone who would seemingly want to exploit my labour when it is convenient for them. And on top of that be able to throw me away like something
dug out from the depths of their ear. (This may sound exaggerated, but note that I said 'seemingly'... I like to think that I have more hope in the CBC than that...)

I believe in public broadcasting and the good that comes from it and there is no other place in the world that I would rather be, whether it is inside working with forty of the most talented people around, or outside standing in the rain, fighting with forty of the most talented people around for what we believe in. It has all been an educational, learning experience for me.

It was with this in mind that I went to Sofia to explain our situation and show how her support for the CMG is indeed support for the students that she represents. She was very receptive to the idea of supporting the local CMG members but stopped short of offering her support to the Guild as a whole until she could research the CBC's side of things and meet with the rest of the students' union executive.

"We are thankful and proud of all of the union workers who recognize the importance of education," said Sofia, but added, "I just don't think that it is my position on students union to go all the way one way or the other without extended debate with the rest of the council."

Sofia told me that she will be discussing the issue with the executive and will be getting back to me in the next few days. I have offered to address the Students' Union at the weekly meeting which is held every Wednesday at 5:30 pm in the Holy Cross conference room. It is an open
meeting so everyone is welcome to come.

How Katrina and the blogs messed up the management plan

2005-09-03T13:21:00.000-03:00

There's an interesting analysis on a Toronto-based blog about why CBC management's strategy has been such a disaster, and why, despite that, it still may be some time before we get a deal. Click here to read it.

Lockout blogs worthy of your attention

2005-09-02T19:52:00.000-03:00

If you're just joining us here, there are some others we want to recommend to you. First, Sounds Like Canada host Shelagh Rogers has begun a cross-Canada caravan and she is posting to her blog as she goes. Take note of Shelagh's thoughts on the "Best of" Sounds Like Canada that's been airing on CBC Radio during the lockout.

Then there's Alison Crawford's lockout blog from Winnipeg. Alison scored the blog scoop of the week when she obtained internal management memos telling CBC managers to not be nice to picketing workers. A second memo later reversed the policy-and Alison got a leak of that one, too!

Finally, the king of lockout bloggers, Tod Maffin, always seems to be up to date with all the latest info. And the Guild's own news site has a daily round-up of lockout news.

Still more hope

2005-09-02T18:31:00.000-03:00

Keep those fingers crossed.
Things seem to be progressing according to the latest bulletin from CMG:

A DOZEN ARTICLES SIGNED OFF AT BARGAINING TABLE
After restarting negotiations this week, the Canadian Media Guild and CBC management have reached agreement on 12 articles.
Among the articles agreed to are:
- hiring and promotion
- jurisdiction
- turnaround
- technical change
- new work methods
- internships
- statement of qualifications
- out-of-country work
- parental leave
- transfer and relocation
The two sides will continue to maintain contact on Saturday and Sunday.

The more sidebar items that get agreeded to now means the quicker this dispute can end once the major issue is finally resolved.
As we say in golf... forward movement is good!

Welcome to our blog

2005-09-02T08:00:00.000-03:00

Many of you will be coming to this site for the first time after seeing our ad in Friday's Daily Gleaner. This site was set up almost three weeks ago, when CBC management decided to lock out its workers who are members of the Canadian Media Guild. This lockout is affecting 45 employees in Fredericton, including on-air personalities such as Terry Seguin, Anita Sharma and Barbara Roberts, as well as the producers, reporters, technicians, camera operators and others who bring you your local programming.

This site has two purposes: It's a way for local Guild members to communicate with each other (hence the daily posting of pictures from the picket line), but more importantly, it's a way for us to bring you our perspective on the lockout. You'll find links to the right that will give you information on the issues, and that will tell you how you can lobby for a settlement. There are also links to other lockout blogs, and audio links to various podcasts. These are "digital broadcasts" that you can download and listen to on your computer. As of this date, we've done one, with another planned in the next week.

The site is updated several times a day, so please check in regularly, and feel free to post a comment if you like.

2005-09-02T07:15:00.000-03:00

As we wrap up the third week of the CBC lockout, we'd like to thank the many people who've been supporting us.
If you've been honking and waving while driving past our picket site at the top of Regent Street or dropping off goodies or donating to our strike fund... you've made this difficult and frustrating time a little easier and little more pleasant.
We've set up a web page called

thanks

You can reach it by clicking above or on the right-hand navigation bar.
Apologies to anyone we've missed. Please let us know and we'll add the names to our page. Again, we really appreciate your support.

Day 18 pictures

2005-09-01T22:27:00.000-03:00

Don Lockhart from CBC Goose Bay walked onto the picket line with ice creams for everyone. He used to work in our plant back in the late 70's, and shared a few stories. Don is still on vacation, so hasn't begun to feel the money pinch. He stayed for a few hours and chatted with all of us.

Day 18 pictures

2005-09-01T22:24:00.000-03:00

Michael Stuart catches up on some reading while basking in the afternoon sun. It is a nice change from the past several days of rain.

Talks constructive, Guild says

2005-08-31T18:37:00.000-03:00

The Guild issued this statement just minutes ago:

Members of the bargaining committees for the Canadian Media Guild and CBC management met today and talked about a number of issues. The talks were constructive and the two sides will meet again this evening.

Keep those fingers crossed!

Federal Liberal caucus chair promises to lobby ministers

2005-08-31T18:26:00.000-03:00

Tobique-Mactaquac Liberal MP Andy Savoy has told Fredericton members of the Canadian Media Guild that he will personally contact two federal cabinet ministers in an effort to encourage a settlement in the lockout and get CBC programming back on the air.

Savoy, who chairs the federal Liberal caucus, met on Wednesday afternoon with locked-out Guild members Richard Robinson and Jacques Poitras, both of whom live in his riding, and Roy Gjelstad. The meeting took place at the Keswick Ridge Community Hall.

Savoy said he will contact Labour Minister Joe Fontana to try to speed along the appointment of a special mediator, something that has been discussed for almost a week now. Savoy will also speak to Heritage Minister Liza Frulla about the delay in appointing a new chair of the CBC board of directors. (This is a crucial accountability issue. Because the position is vacant, CBC president Robert Rabinovitch has been acting as chair, meaning he is overseeing the very group that is supposed to hold him accountable to the taxpayers.)

Savoy says he knows that many of his constitutents miss their CBC programming. "I speak for everyone in the valley when I say CBC is a crucial part of our lifestyle and of our quality of life," he told the Guild members. "The sooner things get back to normal, the better."

Our first casualty: Danielle Nerman

2005-08-31T18:24:00.000-03:00

CBC Fredericton is losing its first employee as a result of the lockout. Danielle Nerman, seen here with technician Curtis Abbott, has accepted a job with Rogers Radio. Danielle has been a non-permanent employee at CBC for more than a year, and she made a perfectly understandable decision in favour of stable employment. She brought a lot of life and energy to CBC Radio and TV in Fredericton and in Saint John, and we will miss her. This is a clear example of why we need the public's support to fight management's plan to shift to more non-permanent employees: Because it drives away good employees and, in the end, harms the quality of programming.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T18:13:00.000-03:00

Our motley crew. Rear from left to right are Curtis and Ellen Abbott and Bob Mersereau. Front are Daryl Brown, Sharon Hudson, Anita Sharma, Jolene Gallant, Mark Gray, and Mike Cassie.

It was a long but rewarding day. It was great to see the show of support and to meet with friends and colleagues from other locations.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T18:11:00.000-03:00

Kate Letterick presented a donation to Bob Mersereau before we left. She and the others in the Moncton plant dipped into their pockets to try and offer some support. Thanks guys.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T18:03:00.000-03:00

Lurking nearby in the bushes was this sight. I can only presume that we were so threatening that extra security measures were taken. These guys look similar to the thugs (dubbed "The Men in Black") that CBC hired during the Technician lockout 2 years ago, but are a little less intimidating.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T18:00:00.000-03:00

A few of our friends from Saint John attended the rally. From left to right are TV journalist Mike Holmes, Radio technician Don Witt, and videographer/editor Roger Cosman.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T17:56:00.000-03:00

Chants of "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Rabinovitch has got to go!!" and a french phrase translated to "We want to work!" were voiced for the approx 3 hours that the line was up.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T17:55:00.000-03:00

The CMG Atlantic rep, Gerry Whelan was on site to rally the troops.

Day 17..Moncton

2005-08-31T17:49:00.000-03:00

A view of a portion of the picket line set up in front of the Moncton Studio. In total, there were approximately 50 people, with groups coming from as far away as Edmundston.

More thank-yous ...

2005-08-31T12:47:00.000-03:00

The UNB employees' association made a large cash donation to CMG Fredericton this week, for which we are very grateful. The money will help pay for supplies on the line, advertising in the Daily Gleaner, and other things that help as the lockout drags on. We greatly appreciate this gesture!

Earlier today Mike, the owner of the Great Canadian Bagel franchise near our office, dropped off an urn full of coffee and a tray of bagels with cream cheese. Thanks, Mike!

Preliminary talks

2005-08-30T22:08:00.000-03:00

It's too early to get our hopes up, but this e-mail from the Guild represents at least a glimmer of hope.

PRELIMINARY TALKS SCHEDULED BETWEEN THE GUILD AND THE CORPORATION

The Canadian Media Guild and the Corporation have agreed to return to the table tomorrow to begin preliminary talks on the unresolved issues. The parties, through their chief negotiators, have had some good discussions over the last few days and have agreed it's time to get the negotiating committees back together.

Smaller groups from both committees will begin the work on Wednesday morning. It is hoped the smaller committees can create the necessary dialogue that will move us towards reaching agreement on the key issues at the table.

The ultimate goal is to restart formal negotiations in order to reach a collective agreement. We welcome the return to the table and believe that, with a spirit of co-operation and compromise, an agreement can be achieved in the near future.

There is no doubt in our minds that public pressure from you, our viewers and listeners, has helped get things to this point. This isn't the time to relax: Keep calling your MPs and voicing your desire for a return to regular programming. It really does help!

CBC management's claims are wrong, says rival nets' unions

2005-08-30T22:03:00.000-03:00

One of the claims management is making in the current negotiations is that it needs the power to hire more temporary employees to compete with other networks in the multi-channel universe.

Not so, says the union at those other networks.

Day 16 picture

2005-08-30T21:55:00.000-03:00

The "Captain" Roy Gjelstad dressed for the weather in his nautical attire. He was stopped by tourists at the City Motel just across the street, and they inquired about their reservations. Best guess is that they thought he was the desk clerk and could assist them.

Day 16 picture

2005-08-30T21:53:00.000-03:00

Another dreary day on the picket line. Here Jennifer Sweet, Bob Mersereau, and Sarah Trainor stand in front of our new HQ; donated by Alan White.

George Scott's Gardening Phone-In: The Lockout Edition

2005-08-30T15:29:00.000-03:00

We are planning our next podcast and we are trying to put together a special edition of the popular Gardening Phone-In from Information Morning. We are still working out the ways to get your questions to George for an ad hoc "show" next Thursday, Sept. 8.

For now, if you have gardening questions for George and you're registered with Blogger, you can send us your questions by clicking on the "comments" link below this post. Watch this blog for more information on the special lockout edition of the Gardening Phone-In.

Day 15 Picture

2005-08-29T19:24:00.000-03:00

Yet another t-shirt design. This one is based loosely on the CBC UNPLUGGED image we had painted in the snowbank back in 1999. The TV includes the CBC Kids sad logo.

These shirts have become quite successful, with seven or eight at our site.

Day 15 Picture

2005-08-29T19:21:00.000-03:00

Paul Leger standing in the rain. To pass the time, we tried to think of songs that contained the word "Rain" in the title. We must have collectively come up with 25-30 titles....We're not bored!!

Day 15 Picture

2005-08-29T19:17:00.000-03:00

So much for the sunshine. This is a view of what the traffic would have seen as they drove by this afternoon. Hidden under the umbrellas Kevin and Jolene. At one point there were six umbrellas grouped together.

Day 15 Picture

2005-08-29T19:10:00.000-03:00

Ellen Abbott sports another t-shirt design based upon the postcards we received. Hope the artist responsible for the guy in the picture dosen't mind.

Note to Guild members: Picket in Moncton

2005-08-29T13:04:00.000-03:00

Plans are afoot to picket at CBC Moncton on Wednesday. If you missed this morning's meeting and are interested in going (or if you were at the meeting and are unclear how to sign up), talk to Kevin, Don, Jacques or Sharon on Tuesday.

Our colleagues in the north have a blog

2005-08-28T13:31:00.000-03:00

The ten CBC and Radio-Canada workers who are locked out in northern New Brunswick have their own blog, I discovered this morning. You can link here, or by using the link in the right-hand column.

Today's Globe on the lockout

2005-08-27T20:11:00.000-03:00

I can't link to the stories because the Globe website is partially subscription-only, but there are two items worth reading in today's Globe and Mail:

Kate Taylor's arts column. Taylor is one of the smartest arts reporters in Canada, and today's column diagnoses the CBC's problems with expert precision. Worth the price of the paper by itself.

A story in Sports on the CFL fiasco. The owner of the B.C. Lions says he may recommend the league take its games to another network, given the disastrous management-staffed broadcast last week. This will keep the pressure on the CBC to end this lockout.

Some weekend housekeeping on the blog

2005-08-27T20:06:00.000-03:00

A bit of housekeeping for our regular readers: Tod Maffin has moved his excellent blog from his site to this site. It remains the best clearing house for all sorts of lockout-related news and gossip (including speculation about a new CBC board chair). I've adjusted the link at right.

Since Tod's blog has more up-to-date links to all the other lockout blogs across Canada, we've cleaned up other links at right, on the assumption that readers who want comprehensive blog coverage will be visiting Tod anyway.

Day 12 picture

2005-08-26T20:29:00.000-03:00

These great kids stopped by this afternoon to say hello and brought a few treats for the members.

Day 12 picture

2005-08-26T20:28:00.000-03:00

Another hot day walking the picket line today. Here Jolene takes a much needed rest in the shade.

Woodstock welcomes the Guild

2005-08-26T19:20:00.000-03:00

Two locked-out employees of CBC in Fredericton were warmly welcomed in Woodstock this morning. Barbara Roberts and Jacques Poitras travelled upriver and spent some time at the Farmers' Market, handing out postcards to people who said they missed CBC programming. They also visited the offices of MP Andy Savoy and MLA David Alward, and ran into Woodstock Mayor Jeff Wright. Wright said he would mail one of the cards to Prime Minister Paul Martin.

Overall, the response was very enthusiastic, with many people telling Barbara and Jacques that they miss their regular programs and that they don't like what management has been putting on the air.

There has been discussion in Ottawa that the federal government may appoint a special mediator in the dispute, something the Guild would welcome. It's clear that grassroots pressure from CBC viewers and listeners is getting through, and it's equally clear how important it is that the pressure continue.

Look for more locked-out CBC employees in other communities in New Brunswick next week!