The expiration of our collective agreement with Thomson Reuters is fast approaching, and it’s time for us to negotiate a new deal with the company. This is some of the most important work we do as a union.

We are looking for two of our fellow CMG members to join our Branch president and the CMG staff rep to form our union negotiating team.  We want our committee to be as representative of our workplace as possible, so if you are interested in joining the bargaining team, please write to juliefilms@gmail.com by Friday, November 6.

The Guild team is bilingual and would welcome members comfortable speaking English or French to serve on the team.

Here’s what you need to know about this important role:

– if you are selected to be part of the bargaining team, you will be granted the required time off from work, and any expenses will be paid by the union.

– no experience is needed; the most important thing is to have a commitment to your co-workers, the ability to think strategically, and to be collaborative.

– being part of the bargaining committee is a valuable experience: It gives you a chance to help improve working conditions for yourself and your colleagues at Thomson Reuters, while also gaining important skills through the negotiation process.

– due to the pandemic, negotiations will probably take place via teleconference this time around, which may affect the process in unexpected ways. Ordinarily, participating on the committee requires full days, typically two or more days at a time. Time commitment will vary based on various factors, including the issues being negotiated. In the past, it’s taken two to three days of negotiations to reach a deal with the employer. Add to that one or two days for the team to prepare before bargaining starts, and one day after the end of bargaining to put together communications with members and update the collective agreement.

If you are not selected, you will be able to be part of a bargaining support group helping to mobilize and share information with our fellow union members in the workplace. You will also be on the list to replace any member of the negotiating team who is unable to be at the bargaining table.

Again, please write to juliefilms@gmail.com to apply. The deadline is November 6.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Julie Gordon, Thomson Reuters Branch President
Canadian Media Guild (CMG)