OTTAWA, June 17, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, at a noon rally, union presidents representing employees of the public broadcaster called out to the 12 members of the CBC/Radio-Canada's board of directors to condemn the impending new cuts.
"Since 2009, close to $450 M were cut from the CBC/RC's budget and over 2,000 jobs were lost. Without having been any public debate on its future, we are currently witnessing the slow smothering of a public utility that is essential to Canadians, of a public broadcaster whose mission is to foster culture and keep over 35 million citizens informed. While Norway annually puts in $180 per capita toward its public broadcaster, we've recently reached a mere $29, after the March 2014 cuts", stressed Alex Levasseur, president of the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC-CSN).
The rally took place by the building where members of CBC/RC's board of directors are meeting for two days.
"We wanted to directly engage the decision-makers whose mission is to protect and ensure that our sole national public broadcaster's mandate is being carried out. This dozen people hold the power to completely re-examine the decisions that are imposing austerity measures on CBC/RC employees. Not only are they allowed to decide not to implement the recent budget cuts, but they can also demand more investment from the Canadian Government," concluded Mr. Levasseur.
The Fédération nationale des communications-CSN is composed of 7,000 members working in culture and communications.
Founded in 1921, the CSN is a trade union federation that works toward a cohesive, democratic, just, fair and sustainable society. To this end, the CSN takes part in many debates that concern Quebeckers. The CSN federates almost 2,000 unions and represents more than 300,000 workers on a sectoral or professional basis within eight federations, as well as regionally via 13 central councils, primarily in the province of Quebec.
SOURCE: Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC-CSN)
Martin Petit, Communications Department, CSN
514 894-1326 [email protected]
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