Canadian Media Guild (CMG), the union representing CBC/Radio-Canada employees, has asked Canadian Heritage Min. Steven Guilbeault to earmark targeted funding to convert half of the public broadcaster’s 1,200 casual staff to full-time.
During a 40-minute meeting with Guilbeault this week, CMG CBC/Radio-Canada Branch president Kim Trynacity told the minister that the move would go far to enact real change within CBC at all levels, because many casual positions are held by young workers from diverse backgrounds.
“Many of the temporary employees are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour,” Trynacity told the minister, according to a CMG release. “Converting so many temps to full-time will make the corporation more reflective of Canada, and go a long way to repairing a damaged workplace culture that must work to address issues of racism at CBC/Radio-Canada.”
Several CBC employees, including Ottawa news anchor Adrian Harewood and CBC Yukon host Christine Genier, who resigned earlier this month, are among the journalists who have come forward in recent weeks to share personal experiences indicative of a toxic workplace culture for BIPOC staff.
Roughly 25% of the CBC/Radio-Canada workforce are temporary employees who lack job security or, in some cases, a consistent schedule.
CMG is also looking for assurances that future funding for the public broadcaster will be linked to a moratorium on job cuts. The union says since 2008, ongoing staff cuts have been accompanied by a drop in diversity, while increasing management’s reliance on temporary workers.
Trynacity asked that public funding for CBC/Radio-Canada be increased to $50 per capita in the next budget. The public broadcaster currently receives $34 per Canadian, per year, from the federal government.
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