CBC & Union reach tenatitve deal

[Darrel]

Posted this morning on the Globe and Mail's website:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051003.wcbc1003/BNStory/National/

It's just a "memorandum of agreement," meaning it's not official, nothing is finalized, and they're still dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's", but it is an agreement that features a percentage limit on the amount of contract workers CBC can hire, the biggest bone of contention with the union.

There is also no timetable as to when the agreement can be ratified or when the union workers can return to CBC. But an agreement has been struck, and just in time for the return of Hockey Night in Canada. No doubt, that was the motivation behind getting this thing done. It would've been an embarassment to CBC to not be at full strength when HNIC returns... this coming Saturday.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

And they may not be at full strength come Saturday, depending on how quickly this agreement gets through the stages. The master agreement has yet to be finalized and ratified, and then there's this issue of the 'return to work protocol'.

Seeing as HNIC is of the most importance for multiple reasons, I expect that those involved will be expedited. Same for the CFL team. The CBC's coverage during the lockout has been embarassing.

But to get there, I think there needs to be at least 48 hours leeway. This whole thing needs to wrap up by the end of business Thursday at the latest.

Meanwhile, I'm going to miss 'Locked Out Live','Studio Zero' and the other lockout podcasts. That was good stuff, but the Radio Revolution will continue, it is hoped.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Not surprised.

I had previously written on this board that there was an "unofficial but symbolic deadline" for making a deal: The October 8th premiere of "Hockey Night In Canada". I had also written that a deal would have to be made no later that early this week (October 3rd-7th) to get "the wheels in motion" concerning "HNIC".

CBC will get their triumphant return of "Hockey Night In Canada" after all. Fans in Ottawa will see Saturday's Buffalo/Ottawa game, fans in the rest of the country will see Montreal/Toronto, and all of Canada will get to see the Vancouver/Edmonton game later that evening. And yes, Don "Grapes" Cherry is back between periods (That alone is worth having the labor dispute settled!).

I expect that "HNIC" will be the second CBC show to "return to normal" after the lockout. I would think the network's first priority would be getting their news department back to work and "The National" back on TV (plus "World At Six" on radio, et. al.) as soon as possible. I expect Peter Mansbridge and Company will return to CBC later this week, maybe Thursday (October 6th), more likely Friday.

FYI: Both the CBC and CMG report that the new contract is due to end on March 31st, 2009. I am surprised the CBC did not try to insure that the new contract would not end until June 30th, 2009 to insure that the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs would be broadcast without interruption by a potential labor dispute, assuming CBC renews the "HNIC" deal which I believe expires at the end of the 2008 playoffs.

But on the other hand, CTV may very well become the home of "Hockey Night In Canada" and the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning in the Fall of 2008. CTV stunned the Canadian TV industry earlier this year when a consortium it was part of (including TSN and others) outbid CBC for the rights to the 2010 Winter (Vancouver) and 2012 Summer Olympics (London).

CTV has already taken one of CBC's crown jewels (the Olympics); taking away the CBC's biggest crown jewel ("HNIC") may be next.