Candidates for Director of New Members at CBC in Toronto
We have received three (3) nominations for the position of New Members Director at CBC in Toronto.
As a result, an online vote will be held from Thursday, July 11 to Friday, July 12, 2019 for members to elect the nominee of their choice.
The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:
- Daniel Bain
- Jeremy Hogel
- Julian Uzielli
The successful candidate will be elected to serve as CMG Director of New Members on the Toronto Location Unit Executive Committee until the current term ends in December 2020.
In order to vote, members will need their 9-digit CMG member number. If you have any questions please contact CMG Elections Coordinator, Glenn Seymour, at gs@cmg.ca.
Please find below information submitted to the CMG by the nominated candidates:
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Julian Uzielli
Where I work
For the past year I’ve been working at Podcast Playlist as an Associate Producer. This is my first permanent job at CBC, and before this I spent about three years working in both short- and long-term temporary positions as a chase producer at network radio shows including The Current, As It Happens and Tapestry.
Why I’m running
Since I first got involved with the CMG, I’ve been motivated by one issue: the rights of temporary workers. Many of our new members are temps, and that cohort is the youngest, most diverse, and most vulnerable group of employees in this building.
Having spent three years as a temp, I know it can be a complicated experience: On the one hand, for many new temps working in this building is a dream come true. But at the same time, you’re constantly worrying about your next short-term gig, and putting life goals on hold while you try to manage your unpredictable schedule. It takes a toll on your mental health.
As Director of New Members, I can’t give every temp a permanent job. What I can do is make sure that when they start here, every new member is informed of their rights — how to claim overtime, when and how they qualify for benefits, and other basic facts of employment that, in my experience, often aren’t explained to new hires.
Every new member deserves to start their employment by knowing they have a strong ally in the CMG, and I aim to make sure that happens.
My union experience
I first got involved with the union last fall, during negotiations for the new collective agreement. Since that time I’ve been involved in grassroots organizing efforts aimed at raising the profile of temp issues at CBC.
I was part of the group that co-authored an open letter to management last fall, signed by 70 people, demanding better treatment for temporary workers. That letter was quoted at length in the Globe and Mail’s recent article on the temp situation.
I also helped organize and record audio testimonials from temps about their experiences, which were played aloud at the bargaining table during negotiations over the new collective agreement.
Since the new collective agreement was ratified, I’ve been working with other like-minded folks in the building to build solidarity between temporary workers across departments. So far we’ve held two successful events, a temp social and a know-your-rights session, with more planned for the future.