Directors Guild of Canada BC District Council Secures Resounding Strike Mandate
92.2% vote yes in fight for respect, fairness and safety
VANCOUVER, BC, April 8, 2022 /CNW/ - The Directors Guild of Canada, BC District Council (DGC BC), announced today that in its first-ever strike vote, members and eligible permittee logbook holders have voted 92.2% in favour of a strike mandate. 86.2% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the vote.
“We thank our members for the solidarity they have shown with this overwhelming mandate. Their strength and resolve make it clear that respect, fairness and safety in the workplace are non-negotiable,” says Allan Harmon, District Council Chairman, DGC BC. “We are fighting to achieve and maintain fundamental rights for everyone working under our collective agreement.”
The DGC BC has been in year-long negotiations with the bargaining representatives of the producers, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Canadian Media Producers Association. The DGC BC includes the creative and logistical personnel in the film and television industry in British Columbia - from the entry level Production Assistant to the Director calling the shots.
"Our goal is to reach a fair agreement. We all care about this industry, so let's roll up our sleeves, get back to the table and find a solution," says Kendrie Upton, Executive Director, DGC BC. "That is the best way to ensure long-term labour stability."
Key issues unresolved at the bargaining table are:
- Minimum wage differentials: as minimum wage increases, so should all wage rates of lower-paid positions
- Payment terms for COVID testing
- Retroactivity of wage increases to the expiry of the last collective agreement
- The Negotiating Producers' demands for further concessions
These issues primarily impact the lowest paid and most vulnerable positions.
The Directors Guild of Canada, BC District Council (DGC BC) represents the creative and logistical personnel in the film and television industry in British Columbia. The DGC BC Collective Agreement covers the categories of Director, 2nd Unit Director, Production & Unit Manager, plus those employed in the various Assistant Director and Locations Departments, including entry level Production Assistants.
https://www.dgc.ca/en/british-columbia/
SOURCE Directors Guild of Canada - BC District Council
Media Contact: Gwen Hardy | Elettra Communications | [email protected] | 604 809 0062
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