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TORONTO – Unifor is deeply concerned after Corus Entertainment Inc. – which owns Global News – announced job cuts that will affect Unifor media workers and journalists across the country.
“Every time an announcement like this comes in the media sector, it’s both heartbreaking and boils my blood,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“The media sector is under extreme threat, and we are at a critical juncture where we need life-saving intervention, including a plan from every single political party in Canada, to save local news. We would expect this necessary plan to receive all party support so that media workers can see this country supports fact-based journalism and democracy.”
There are 55 Unifor members from four media locals across Canada who have been impacted.
The affected roles include TV anchors, assistant news director, videographer, broadcast announcers, engineers and hosts, producers, online web producer, assignment editor, videographers, camera crew, news reporter, copy editor and digital broadcast journalists, among others.
Unifor was informed of cuts in both online and community news divisions, resulting in a hollowing out of local news coverage.
While on the surface, it may seem that communities are receiving a local news cast, most content is coming from a centralized hub, rather than journalists and media workers on the ground in the local communities themselves.
On June 12, 2024, 35 Unifor members at Global News were laid off as part of restructuring by Corus Entertainment Inc.
The 35 Global TV cuts were on top of 11 Unifor members at the company who were already laid off in 2024.
Unifor has expressed frustration with delays in both legislative and regulatory changes designed to support local television news outlets. Bill C-11, which mandates that foreign streamers must contribute to Canadian broadcasting, including a much-needed boost to local news funding, took nearly three years to pass into law.
The CRTC dragged its heels for years before establishing a program whereby large broadcasters in Canada help fund local TV news. Today, foreign online broadcasters like Amazon, are refusing to pay and instead challenging their obligations in court. This only causes delay and will prevent Corus from accessing emergency local news funding.
“The workforce of media companies has been eroded to the point of evisceration,” said Payne. “News coverage is distributed from a main trough and companies are slashing and burning bodies as a result. It’s a courtesy nod to the local coverage, rather than investing in local news.”
Unifor represents more than 10,000 media workers, including 5,000 members in the broadcast and film industries.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
For more information, please contact Unifor National Communications Representative: Jenny Yuen or (416) 938-6157.
