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ST. JOHN’S—Unifor continues to advocate for its members and their work at The Telegram in St. John’s as Postmedia moves through the process to purchase most of the assets of The Telegram’s parent company, SaltWire Network, Inc.
“This is an extremely stressful process for those whose livelihoods are on the line, and much of that is because we know CCAA proceedings are not friendly to workers,” said Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray. “Whether the newspapers in the Atlantic live on is at the mercy of the court via the CCAA process and the buyers, so many workers who are used to being consulted and involved in determining their futures through collective bargaining are on the sidelines here.”
Unifor responded to SaltWire’s Companies’ Creditor Arrangement Act (CCAA) filing in March, noting the devastating impact the loss of the last locally owned news network will have on Atlantic Canada.
Of particular concern to the union is the fate of the printing press operation on Austin St., the last wide-format press in the province, that is not part of Postmedia’s purchase agreement.
Legal counsel for Unifor expressed this concern in court, stating the omission of this facility in the deal creates uncertainty about the future of that operation and consequently the future of print media in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“To every extent possible we are committed to protecting members’ jobs, benefits and union rights,” said Murray. “In a world of increasingly manipulated online content, there’s accountability and an unshakeable trust that comes with printed news. Accessible, local content is vital to the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and essential to our democracy.”
During the court proceedings to approve the Postmedia purchase, Unifor was not asked for and did not give any concessions affecting the 37 members of Local 441-G working as multimedia reporters, photographers, printing press operators and in the advertising and business department at The Telegram.
Unifor has been working hard for years to protect and promote fact-based journalism in Canada. In 2016, the union launched its Media Action Plan, a public campaign driven by Unifor media locals nationwide to fight to save local news and confront increasing harassment toward media workers.
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.
