October 26, 2012
(FNC-CSN)
INCREASE IN PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS
WHY THE SCRC HAS NOT SIGNED THE AGREEMENT
Last October 22, certain Unions announced that they had signed an agreement with regards to the unilateral increase of
employee contributions into the pension plan, imposed by CBC during the summer.
Although the SCRC was involved in the discussions with CBC and the other Unions (Guild, Association des réalisateurs,
STARF, CUPE) following these increases in contributions, we were unable to accept management’s proposal for a very
simple reason: it’s proposal made it possible for the employer to once again increase contributions over the next three
years, and this, regardless of the financial grounds for doing so. Here follows the text of the agreement signed by the four
other CBC Unions:
“If, during the term of the agreement, CBC/Radio-Canada were to undergo significant financial pressure, or if the Government were to communicate
measures which would have an impact upon pension plan contributions, the parties would meet together under the auspices of the fringe benefits
advisory committee in order to discuss the implications of the situation that arose, and to determine whether additional increases in employee
contributions would be necessary, as well as the size and scope of any such increases, where applicable. […] Should the parties not manage to
reach an agreement during these discussions/meetings, they would be free to initiate any legal proceedings or refer the matter to arbitration as
they might deem appropriate.”
This is why the SCRC has not signed the agreement submitted to it by CBC:
We don’t want to be used as safety valves for the relief of CBC’s funding problems
Our pension fund is not in any financial difficulty1. The increase in employee contributions only seeks to reduce the
employer’s contribution. Overall, the amounts paid into the pension fund would remain the same.
We want a genuine agreement
The agreement proposed by CBC opens the door to new increases over the coming years, regardless of the financial
grounds for doing so. This is not our definition of a genuine agreement.
Contributions are an issue for the bargaining table
And for this reason, their increases must be discussed at the bargaining table in the course of the renewal of our
collective agreement. The legal proceedings initiated by the SCRC on this matter seek to acknowledge this reality.
“The SCRC remains available to discuss this matter with CBC in order to reach a genuine agreement, but not to open
the door to new increases that would have a direct impact upon our remuneration,” declared the President of the
SCRC, Alex Levasseur.
1
And this, in contrast to what CUPE business agent, Alexandre Prégent, declared: “the financial pressure on CBC following the most recent cutbacks
threatened the funding of the pension plan […] We don’t play Russian Roulette with our members money.”
http://www.scfp.qc.ca/modules/nouvelles/nouvelle.php?id=2431&langue=fr