Sunday, September 25, 2005
CBC 107: The autumn of freelance discontent
A new blog has emerged in recent days, Advocating for all CBC Freelancers, which is bringing out into the open the simmering discontent with the Canadian Media Guild amongst those who chose to freelance.
It is clear from this blog, and from others listed on the blog (which is aggregating freelance complaints from blogs across the country) that CMG is going to have a problem, now and in the future.
Here is a key point the blogger makes:
Having at one point my career having chosen to be a freelancer (rather than a casual aiming at a full time job) I am in full agreement with this.
Let's face one fact. We all know that the CMG position that 30 per cent of positions at CBC are casual or freelance is the correct one, that the management's idea that it is five per cent is pure propaganda.
A week or so ago, I was having a chat with some of my neighbours who work in the movie industry. They didn't understand the problem with the lockout and the dispute.
Why? Because although they are freelancers, whether they are members of ACTRA or IATSE, or another movie union, they get benefits and they get RSP contributions. The basic agreements with Independent Producers Association calls for the employer to pay half the cost of benefits and RSP contributions, the freelancer the rest. Just like full time employees.
This took me back to the mid-80s, when I was working, on contract, for CBC Project Iris, the Corp's first venture into new media. I was also writing scripts for Radio Drama at the time. So on one CBC contract, the new media project, I got no benefits, no pension and had to pay the full CPP. While on a second CBC contract, Radio Drama, under the Writers Guild of Canada (I am no longer a member, I dropped that when I became full time staff) I was getting RSP contributions and was also contributing to the ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society's health insurance plan.
If the CMG is able to hold the line on the disposable work force, that means that 30 per cent of people working at the CBC are still going to be freelance or casual. Some of those, as I keep saying on my blog, will be able to get benefit support from a working partner with a staff job, usually in another industry. But many will not.
It is time that the ACTRA/IATSE movie model had serious consideration. First, so that freelancers are not left in a precarious position of no extended health benefits and no RSP contributions. As well, making the CBC contribute RSP and benefits for freelancers and casuals removes the incentive CBC management may have to treat freelancers as cheap, no-benefit, labour.
It's just my personal opinion, but I believe that the CMG should make a deal with ACTRA Fraternal so that freelancers represented by CMG can get RSPs and benefits. It may not happen in this round, but it should happen soon.
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CBC, blog, news, lockout,
CBClockout,
5:44 PM posted by Robin Rowland
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A new blog has emerged in recent days, Advocating for all CBC Freelancers, which is bringing out into the open the simmering discontent with the Canadian Media Guild amongst those who chose to freelance.
It is clear from this blog, and from others listed on the blog (which is aggregating freelance complaints from blogs across the country) that CMG is going to have a problem, now and in the future.
Here is a key point the blogger makes:
Freelancers have to supply all their own equipment, pay 100% of their CPP contribution (including the employer’s half), save for their own retirement and have no health benefits and no paid sick leave. They are not eligible for Unemployment Insurance. The CMG is a unique union in that, within it, freelancers have the right to collective bargaining. Freelancers in most organizations do not unless they form their own organization. The question remains, how much collective bargaining is the CMG doing on behalf of freelancers? Having the right to something is different than having it.
Freelancers absorb the cost of their own equipment. We have to save for our own pension. We have to take the risk of getting sick and having no paid sick leave, health coverage or long-term disability. We take the risk of not being able to fill down time between assignments. Freelancers need to be paid a premium, in addition to the basic fee for the work, to cover these costs and risks. In this were not the case, freelancers would be simply cheap labour or suckers who are willing to supply equipment and pay expenses that are traditionally borne by the employer. These costs are buried in the price of every other product we buy. Why should CBC expect me to create a product for anything less?
Having at one point my career having chosen to be a freelancer (rather than a casual aiming at a full time job) I am in full agreement with this.
Let's face one fact. We all know that the CMG position that 30 per cent of positions at CBC are casual or freelance is the correct one, that the management's idea that it is five per cent is pure propaganda.
A week or so ago, I was having a chat with some of my neighbours who work in the movie industry. They didn't understand the problem with the lockout and the dispute.
Why? Because although they are freelancers, whether they are members of ACTRA or IATSE, or another movie union, they get benefits and they get RSP contributions. The basic agreements with Independent Producers Association calls for the employer to pay half the cost of benefits and RSP contributions, the freelancer the rest. Just like full time employees.
This took me back to the mid-80s, when I was working, on contract, for CBC Project Iris, the Corp's first venture into new media. I was also writing scripts for Radio Drama at the time. So on one CBC contract, the new media project, I got no benefits, no pension and had to pay the full CPP. While on a second CBC contract, Radio Drama, under the Writers Guild of Canada (I am no longer a member, I dropped that when I became full time staff) I was getting RSP contributions and was also contributing to the ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society's health insurance plan.
If the CMG is able to hold the line on the disposable work force, that means that 30 per cent of people working at the CBC are still going to be freelance or casual. Some of those, as I keep saying on my blog, will be able to get benefit support from a working partner with a staff job, usually in another industry. But many will not.
It is time that the ACTRA/IATSE movie model had serious consideration. First, so that freelancers are not left in a precarious position of no extended health benefits and no RSP contributions. As well, making the CBC contribute RSP and benefits for freelancers and casuals removes the incentive CBC management may have to treat freelancers as cheap, no-benefit, labour.
It's just my personal opinion, but I believe that the CMG should make a deal with ACTRA Fraternal so that freelancers represented by CMG can get RSPs and benefits. It may not happen in this round, but it should happen soon.
Technorati tags
CBC, blog, news, lockout,
CBClockout,
5:44 PM posted by Robin Rowland
Permanent Link
