Eight Canadian guilds and unions have signed an open letter to Telefilm Canada claiming the funder needs to “stop funding productions that refuse to sign collective agreements or fail to abide by minimum standards.”

Published Tuesday (Nov. 12), the letter includes a demand for Telefilm to make a change to its Production Program guidelines requiring that applicants remain in good standing with industry unions and guilds in time for its Annual Public Assembly on Nov. 28.

The letter was signed by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA); Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ); Directors Guild of Canada (DGC); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); Nabet 700-M UNIFOR; Société des Auteurs de Radio, Télévision et Cinéma (SARTEC); L’Union des Artistes (UDA); and Writers Guild of Canada (WGC). Together, these groups represent more than 87,000 screenwriters, directors, performers, artists and crew in Canadian film and television.

According to the letter, the eight guilds and unions met with representatives of Telefilm’s leadership on July 11 asking Telefilm to adopt an eligibility requirement in the Canada Media Fund’s Core Development and Predevelopment guidelines that an applicant company be “in good standing with all applicable talent and industry associations and guilds.” Telefilm released its updated Production Program guidelines on Oct. 30, which did not include that wording at press time.

The letter claims Telefilm replied on Oct. 30 that due to various provincial and territorial laws, “it would be challenging for us to impose a uniform framework on the entire audiovisual industry without encroaching into a complex domain regulated by different jurisdictions.” Reps for Telefilm and the unions and guilds met again on Nov. 5, where Telefilm reiterated its position, according to a news release.

“All of our organizations are steadfast in the belief that taxpayer dollars should not go to fund productions that refuse to sign fair contracts or abide by minimum standards, leaving creative industry professionals both unrepresented and unprotected,” read the letter. “The decision of Telefilm to cite labour laws and bureaucratic jargon to punt this issue down the road is unacceptable.”

A Telefilm spokesperson told Playback Daily the organization is currently in discussions with the unions and guilds involved in the letter.

“We believe that fair working conditions are essential to building a sustainable and thriving audiovisual industry,” said the spokesperson. “As an investor in Canada’s creative industries, Telefilm is committed to supporting a healthy ecosystem grounded in mutual respect, dignity, integrity and inclusivity.”

This letter comes days after another open letter, signed by nearly 1,400 members of the Canadian film and television industry, called on the federal government to fulfill a campaign promise to provide a permanent funding increase for Telefilm.

With files from Kelly Townsend

Image: Unsplash