News

Possible Labour Dispute at the Chronicle Herald

Sisters and Brothers,

See letter below from the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour in support of the Herald Workers.
Also below is Lana’s letter regarding this matter that was sent to Nova Scotia locals earlier this week.

Good morning: As you know, talks broke down on Wednesday between the Chronicle Herald and the Halifax Typographical Union, representing 61 journalists, photographers, and editors. The Herald management has already given notice for a lock-out, and we anticipate the lock-out will begin at midnight on Saturday morning.

The Herald has been demanding draconian concessions to the members of the HTU. The workers have offered concessions, including a 5% pay cut, but the Chronicle Herald has continued to demand even more.
Attached is a letter from the President of the HTU President Ingrid Bulmer and Vice-President Frank Campbell asking us that in the event of a lockout or a strike at the Chronicle Herald, the union representing the 61 newsroom employees, the Halifax Typographical Union, requests that the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour circulate to affiliated unions and activists a call to cancel newspaper subscriptions and boycott businesses that continue to advertise in the Chronicle Herald.

Picket schedules will be available soon and we encourage people to support the workers by walking the line, honking your horn as you drive by, bringing food or coffee and more.

On Monday, January 25th, the HTU and the Halifax-Dartmouth & District Labour Council are organizing a Solidarity Rally to show the support of the entire Labour Movement for the workers at the Herald.

Join us from 8 am to 10 am on January 25th at 2717 Joseph Howe Drive. Bring union banners and noisemakers. Let show the Chronicle Herald management that HTU will not be bullied!

To get regular updates from the HTU, like them on facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/Halifax-Typographical-Union-997604783611180/

To invite people to the Solidarity Rally event page go here:https://www.facebook.com/events/156589561381088/

In solidarity,
Danny Cavanagh
President, NS Federation of Labour

Dear Unifor Atlantic Staff and Locals:

Re: Possible Labour Dispute at The Chronicle Herald

Our sisters and brothers who work at The Chronicle Herald (media workers including journalists – and members of the Halifax Typographical Union [HTU]) are in a tough round of bargaining with their employer.

They have gone through conciliation and are now in the two-week cooling-off period following the filing of the conciliator’s report.

The employer has served notice that it intends to lock-out the workers at midnight on Friday, January 22. The employer is also advertising for replacement workers: freelance journalists to do the work of those being locked out. It is an unacceptable situation.

Unifor represents hundreds of freelance journalists through our Community Chapter – the Canadian Freelance Union – and they are telling members not to cross the picket line or perform work during a labour dispute.

The workers took a strike vote following the employer’s notice to the conciliator. They voted 98% in favour of strike action.

Unifor has written a letter fully supporting The Herald media workers. I am attaching the link to the letter below for your information. In addition, there is a link to a recent article on the dispute.

http://rabble.ca/news/2016/01/chronicle-herald-ceo-threatens-work-stoppage-union-holds-strike-vote-tensions-escalate

We are calling on our locals and activists to support the Herald workers in a number of ways:

1. Cancel any subscriptions to the newspaper until this dispute is settled.
2. Do not do media interviews with anyone working on behalf of the newspaper in the event of a dispute.
3. Do not submit letters to the editor during the dispute.
4. Support the workers on their picket line in the usual fashion.
5. Stay tuned for any updates.

Please note, Unifor represents more than 31,000 media workers across the country. This dispute is very much about the future of journalism and what it will look like. But it is also about decent jobs for the people who work in the profession.

I know the Herald workers can count on Unifor locals for support and I will be in touch with an update regarding any dispute as the week unfolds.

Thank you for your continued solidarity.

In solidarity,

LANA PAYNE
Unifor Atlantic Regional Director