By Tyler Sutherland
The union representing employees across Canada at Canwest Global Communications is making sure pensions and severance payments remain untouched. The call comes after the Winnipeg-based company filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday to stave off creditors seeking billions in debt from the broadcaster.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworks Union of Canada says, “Thousands have already lost their jobs, and there has been no wage increase for years. Though management salaries have been excessive — $49 million to eight people from 2001 to 2008, while during that same period over 1,000 Canwest employees lost their jobs.” Leonard Asper didn’t mention any of that in his video on the Canwest website Tuesday.
The union wants the federal government to step up to prevent the collapse of Canwest, and in turn, the loss of jobs.
“Yet another major company has filed for bankruptcy protection under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s watch,” adds CEP President Dave Coles. “It’s time for this government to stop congratulating itself and to take action to prevent more working people from falling victim to this recession,” said Coles.
CEP represents more than 25,000 newspaper and broadcast employees across Canada, including workers at Global TV.
