Local 780G joined a rally Saturday in support of our sisters and brothers on strike at the Cowichan News Leader. President Alex Charles and sister Brenda Mason, Local 780G Treasurer were there to represent our Local and present the strikers with a donation.
The Cowichan News Leader has been publishing for more than 110 years now, providing Cowichan and their neighbouring communities with a reliable source of news and information. The Cowichan News leader is now part of the Black newspaper group. The employer came into negotiations with a plan to divide the workforce and implement a 2 tier pay system with all new employees making considerably less than those currently doing the same work.
The employees, all members of Local 2000 would have none of that and are refusing the employer’s agenda. We’ve faced these kinds of proposals before – a devious attempt to sell out those that aren’t there to speak up, the “I’m alright Jack proposal – it’s the next persons problem”. We don’t want to live in a 2 tiered society, why would we want to work in one?
We stand with our sisters and brothers at the Cowichan News Leader and congratulate them for their convictions. Their fight is our fight. Equal pay for equal work is a principal that can’t be diminished.