Canadian Media Guild (CMG) members at TVO have returned a strong strike mandate to their bargaining team with 95.8% of members voting to reject the employer’s latest offer.
“This is a strong mandate. It does not mean we are currently on strike, nor have we set a date to walk out. We are still hoping to negotiate an agreement and avoid a strike,” the union said in a release Wednesday.
The collective agreement governing journalists, producers and education workers at Ontario’s public broadcaster expired last October. Among other issues, the union says TVO members have received below-inflation and below industry standard wage increases for the past decade, including three years of wage freezes. CMG says that’s pushed several employees out of Toronto where the broadcaster is based. The salaries of members were also subject to Bill 124, which was ruled unconstitutional in November and is now being appealed by the Province of Ontario.
In February, TVO employees voted 100% in support of a strike mandate.
CMG said Wednesday its message to TVO and Premier Doug Ford’s government is clear.
“We deserve wage increases that reflect the economic state we are in. If there’s money to pay management increases at and above inflation, you can afford to pay workers a fair wage. The public sector should be fighting wealth inequality, not widening it by rewarding the top earners with the highest increases,” said CMG members.
The union indicated it’s also rejecting concessions for education workers at the broadcaster around permanent employment.
“TVO is a valuable public asset. The people who work there are dedicated public servants who consistently prove their worth telling the stories of Ontario. Journalism is fundamental to democracy and no place does long-form current affairs journalism like TVO.”
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