Montreal: Radio-Canada has advised management of the possibility of an extended strike by 1,300 members of Syndicat des Communications de Radio-Canada.

SRC says the on-air radio and TV journalists, news anchors, researchers and production assistants working in English for CBC and in French for SRC in Quebec and Moncton, NB, cannot return to work until SRC and the union have agreed in advance on new working conditions and a back-to-work protocol. Management made the decision after union members rejected a March 21 final contract offer, and after SCRC called a 24-hour strike the same day.

Since there is no labor code provision for a 24-hour strike, SRC claimed the union was effectively on strike and all existing contractual conditions were effectively terminated. Employees who attempted to return to work the following day were denied access to the Maison de Radio-Canada building in Montreal.

After five days on the picket line, SCRC continued to deny its members were on strike, instead claiming SRC had provoked a lockout.

Unresolved issues include salary increases, the extent of SRC’s use of temporary and contract employees and wage equity issues.

Marc Sevigny, SRC’s director-general, communications for French television, says the broadcaster hopes for a negotiated settlement, but SCRC’s demand for a 25% average wage hike is excessive.

A large majority of union members rejected SRC’s final offer and a mediator subsequently concluded short-term prospects for a settlement were nil.

SRC’s tabled offer, which management says became nul and void effective midnight, March 21, included a lump-sum payment of $700 on signing, scale increases on April 1 of 3% (or 2% plus a dental plan) and 2% on April 2, 2003, and a monetary reserve equal to 1% of payroll related to job specification adjustments

SRC’s offer also included a promise to reevaluate all job specifications, realign French-side journalists’ pay scales with those in the English agreement, including specialized reporters, foreign correspondents and interviewers.

Management also offered permanent employee status for more than 85 people in news and information.

SCRC filed a complaint on March 25 with the Canadian Industrial Relations Council citing what it called an illegal lockout by SRC. The council was scheduled to render a decision March 27.

The union had called a general assembly meeting at press time, March 26. It remained unclear whether rank and file contract employees were prepared to forego pay cheques over an extended strike period.

Both sides say they’re hoping for a relatively quick settlement, fearing of a repetition of the eight-month strike in 1980, which devasted ratings for CBC Television in the Montreal English market.

-www.radio-canada.ca