36 - Sunday, June 14, 1998 - North Shore News

U=R RES PECTED ViEWERS AN D VALUED cute

Please consider the other side of the BCTV story.

you've been following the current labour dispute with our 125 full-time ‘eruployces who are represented by. the
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) union, you're hearing a confusing overload of mixed messages and mis' infor:
‘ mation. More imporiant, there are certain facts that you're not hearing at all. ; ;

We're taking the unusual step of buying this advertisement so that we can be sure you get these. facts directly.

ts the strike about “money?

BCTV: Our employees are at the top of the industry's payscale i in B.C., exceeding the market average by 10%-to 15%. We have
‘working reporters - nol anchors - who are making $100,000 a year. The Proposed earnings fer junior. reporters. (with one year 5
ex perience) would start at a base-salary of $40,000 a year. : ; hops

Wages have been rolled back 10-15%

acry: In the past 20 years, despite the economic. ups and downs and hardships that British Colurnbians have incurred, : our °
employees have always benefitted from pay increases. .

The current package on the table contains-no rollbacks and gives the recently unionized newsroom group, including, reporters,

an average increase of 21% from the day they joined the union in May, 1997. until the expiry of our proposed contract. [Reporters’

making $100,000 a year will receive 6%.] Under our proposed package, every reporter will receive a significant. increase
. ranging from 6% to 44%, not including benefits. ey

‘Wed like to know what wage rollback the union is talking about. There has never been one, nor is there any plan for one..-

CEP Union says: wic made a profit, why can't BCTV pay us more? me

BCTV: WIC has | invested $900 million in the Canadian economy. WICS profits last year reflected a 2% return’on this investment, .
which is a reasonable return on investment. BCTV is only one of 33 broadcasters in the’ WIC organization in Canada, BCTV. is
” operating in a province with the slowest growth economy in Canada. And despite this economic environment, our offer still con: .
tains significant increases. Compare our contract offer to recent settlements of the Teacher and Healthcare: unions with 0%.
increases for the first two years. ‘ ; a ,

cEP Union says: We want profit-sharing.

This is the real issue in this dispute. For over 30 years profit-sharing has been a benefit for non-union staff at, BCT ‘< Union staff”
receive other benelits, which are part of one of the most lucrative collective agreements ir in the broadcast industry, and possibly ;
in ‘any industry, in the county. : . 5

When newsroom reporters and staff chose to join “the CEP union last year, they were informed élearly that'they were trading _
profit-sharing for other benefits. They chose the benefits of the union over profit-sharing, and the company respecis their right
ta n make that decision. As a matter of record, the profit-sharing issue affects only 40 of the 125 fuil- -time > unionized employees. on

CEP Union says: News anchors to be designated by seniority.

BCTV: For over 30 years we have selected anchors based on who our audience wants and trusts to deliver. their news, not senior-”
ity of personnel. Our primary task at BCTV is to deliver the quality programming z and news that our viewers expect and demand,

; ; CEP Union says: BCTV plans to bring in replacement. workers.

BCTV: We have no plans’to hire any replacement workers, period.

CEP Union says: The station only wants to hire cheaper junior reporters.

BCTV: Many of our reporters are senior journalists, which is one of the primary reasons our local news is so well-respected.
However, our audience benefits from the combined years of experience .and different viewpoints of all our: staff. Please
remember these senior journalists were also once junior reporters. Everybody must start somewhere. BCTV is proud of our
continued ability to recruit and nurture young, bright new talent.

You, the viewer, are entitled to know what the real issues are.

BCTV’s goals are simple and unchanging. Excellent programming
for our viewers. And a fair deal for our employees.