AMPTP and CMPA see little hope of avoiding Directors Guild of Canada strike in British Columbia in the next 48 hours

With contract negotiations stalled and the Directors Guild of Canada threatening to strike in British Columbia for the next 48 hours, organizations representing producers now appear to have stepped down due to the inevitable layoff in the province. On Tuesday, DGC BC issued a 72-hour strike notice, the next and possibly last step before the strike began.

In a joint statement, AMPTP and the Canadian Association of Media Producers said Wednesday: “After more than a year of honest negotiations by producers, we are disappointed that DGC BC has chosen to issue a strike notice and discussions. to reach agreement. Arrested. Our latest proposal to DGC BC was a fair offer that included significant improvements for collective bargaining employees. After the new meeting with DGC BC on April 25, it is evident that significant differences remain. ” The path that leads both parties to an agreement remains a priority, but the choice of the DGC could make a solution difficult in the near future “.

The strike will be the first of its kind in the Guild’s history, but most films and TV shows currently shot in British Columbia will not be affected by the Safe Harbor arrangements.

In 2008, the BC Labor Board entered into Safe Harbor Agreements with industry to ensure job stability during collective bargaining, and most of BC’s products currently underway signed Safe Harbor Agreements. Any production signed and compliant with the terms of the Safe Harbor Agreement is protected from industrial action.

The strike will not stop filming elsewhere in Canada. In Toronto, which is also the filming location, the directors and their crew are represented on another DGC district council, which has its own separate contracts and does not threaten termination of employment.

Earlier this month, Guild members overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike if the parties failed to reach a fair deal.

On Tuesday, Alan Harmon, DGC BC District Council Chair, said, “With the full support of the strike mandate, we hoped (the companies) would address vital issues for our members. They do not. Their refusal to solve these problems left us no choice but to go on strike.

According to the union, the main problems that remain unsolved are:
• Minimum Wage Differences: As the minimum wage increases, all wages in low-paying jobs increase.
• Payment terms for Covid tests.
• Salary reimbursement increases before the expiry of the last collective agreement.
• Require producers to negotiate more concessions

According to the union, these problems “mainly affect the lowest paid and most vulnerable positions”.