Many students are well accustomed to temporary or part-time jobs that offer no security and, in many cases, meager minimum wage pay. But as new generations of students graduate and look for nine-to-five jobs with benefits and stability, they may find such positions to be in short supply.
It seems that the majority of companies feel the new wave of youthful employees just want variety and are liable to change careers often. While this may be true of some, there are still many who one day hope to escape the insecurity of ever-changing job positions. These graduates are working towards permanent positions with paid leave and benefits.
These permanent jobs may be getting fewer and further between. Even one of Canada’s oldest institutions is opting for more contractual workers. They seem to want talent that will fill the short-term needs of the organization but will not necessitate paying benefits.
About three weeks ago the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) entered into a lockout that has changed the face of the CBC, the national broadcaster that is a mainstay of news and programming for people across the country. Countless Canadians look to the CBC for their nightly news on The National, but since Aug 15 this evening slot has either been left empty or filled with the four-minute CBC News Now followed by the BBC’s world newscast, which often covers the same stories.
The CBC, in a statement posted on its website, said that business pressures and Canada’s difficult market realities are guiding their negotiations. They claim that with a diminishing budget, they want to free up resources without reducing the number of their employees.
They also explain that a contractual employee is not the same as a temporary employee, because while temporary employees are hired on a short-term basis, “contractual” employees are often rehired year after year. The CBC also asserts that current permanent positions will not be affected by the new conditions.
The CMG, on the other hand, says it is impossible for the current employees not to be affected by the proposed changes. They say it will create a two-tiered system in which some employees will have a superior pension plan and benefits, and that these employees would also be more likely to be laid off because it would benefit the company to cancel the employees’ benefits.
The CMG says on their website that they want employees to have the financial stability necessary to start a family, and adequate training to perform their jobs at the highest level. These assets, they say, are only made available in permanent positions.
The lockout has resulted in clashes between the two sides. Across Canada, save for Quebec and Moncton, NB, members of the CMG are picketing outside CBC buildings.
Contract negotiations have been ongoing for over a year.
On the CBCunplugged.com website, there is a podcast of Shelagh Rogers celebrating her 25th anniversary at CBC last Saturday in Vancouver. She is taking a “pod-tour” of the CBC’s picket lines. Rogers said that she never expected to celebrate her 25th year with the CBC this way.
It is sad that it takes a “labour disruption” (as the CBC calls it) to settle their differences.
The quality of the CBC’s broadcasts is just not the same without the majority of its staff. But although the CBC’s programming is missed by many, it is admirable that the CMG is fighting for the rights of its long-time employees and for the career opportunities of its future employees.
The CBC employs many innovative thinkers, and their ideas are not formed overnight. By cutting back on the number of permanent employees they hire, they are also cutting back on the dedication and commitment of these workers. The capacity of short-term employees to understand and move forward with knowledge from the past can in no way be compared to people that have been with the CBC for 15 years, through the good and bad.
It is hard to imagine the CBC’s image withstanding this lockout, but it is also likely that more Canadian corporations will be inclined to follow suit. Canadians should stand up for their right to work in a long-term stable position if they so choose. Although mid-life career changes may be common in today’s society, it should not be forced on employees without their consent.
