RCI Action Committee - Defending Radio Canada International

A Warning from the RCI Administration:
The Memo and the Texts of the Articles Cited

On October 31, 2001, RCI staff received a memo reminding us of the rules that affect us as employees. A selected number of articles were cited, both from a collective agreement and from the Journalistic Standards and Practices of the domestic service, the CBC/Radio-Canada.

In the memo, Jean Larin, who has now become RCI director, advises employees: "In order to be able to apply these rules, all staff should become familiar with:" and then lists the specific articles.

All the articles appear to have been chosen to stop employees and the RCI Action Committee from continuing to talk about the disintegrating situation at RCI. (For more details see: Committee Back After Administration Attempt to Stop Us)

What follows is the actual memo from Larin, written in French and English, and then the texts of the articles he cites.

What is disturbing about the articles cited in the Journalistic Practices, is that we are being told to stop criticizing the cuts at RCI. As well, the intent appears to be to stop us from continuing to publicly call on the CBC to respect its own Program and Corporate policies as they apply to RCI.

Ironically , given how these rules are being used against RCI staff, the domestic service itself describes the Journalistic practices as follows on its website:

"The CBC occupies a unique position of trust. Not only is it the most substantial and broadly-based broadcast journalism organization in Canada, it is funded, through Parliament, by the people of Canada. The CBC therefore considers it a duty to provide consistent, high-quality information upon which all citizens may rely.

"The Journalistic Standards and Practices provide the policy framework within which CBC journalism seeks to meet the expectations and obligations it faces."

The full text of the Journalistic Practices is available at:
http://cbc.radio-canada.ca/htmen/5_2.htm

Memo from Jean Larin 31 October 2001
Texts of articles cited follow

Exp.:   Jean Larin
Date:   mercredi 31 octobre 2001 12h44
Objet:   Rappel- Reminder

De : Jean Larin, responsable du redéploiement des effectifs

A tout le personnel de l'unité 1.

J'aimerais rappeler à toute personne concernée quelques textes qui doivent impérativement les gouverner dans leurs activités à titre d'employés de Radio-Canada.

D'abord, il est utile de relire pour bien les appliquer les articles 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 10.1, 11.1 et 46.3 de la convention collective entre la Société Radio-Canada et le Syndicat des Communications de Radio-Canada.

Il est demandé de faire de même avec, les articles 1.1, Chapitre II, 2.4.2 (a) (b), 2.4.3 (b)(d)(e), 2.4.6 (a)(b) du Chapitre V des Normes et Pratiques Journalistiques de Radio-Canada.

Bonne lecture
_____________________________

From: Jean Larin, Manager responsible for the Redeployment

To: All staff, Unit 1

I would like to remind all concerned that their Collective Agreement as well as The Journalistic Standards and Practices provide a number of rules for the employees of the CBC.

In order to be able to apply these rules, all staff should become familiar with:

1) Article 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 10.1, 11.1 and 46.3 of the Collective Agreement between the CBC and les Syndicat des Communications de Radio-Canada.

2) Article 1.1, Chapter II, Articles 2.4.2 (a) (b), 2.4.3 (b)(d)(e), 2.4.6 (a)(b), Chapter V of the Journalistic Standards and Practices of the CBC.

Pleasant reading

2001/10/31

CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices, 2001:

Chapter II Article 1.1
1.1 CBC PRODUCTIONS
The policies in this book apply to all information programs and to all CBC online journalistic material. These programs include news and all aspects of public affairs (political, economic, social) as well as journalistic activities in agriculture, arts, music, religion, science, sports and variety.

Chapter V Articles 2.4.2 (a) (b) 2.4.3 (b)(d)(e) 2.4.6 (a)(b)
2.4.2 USE OF POSITION AT THE CBC
(a) Employees may not use Corporation premises, equipment, supplies or the corporate services of other CBC employees in furthering their personal interest.

(b) Employees must not use their positions to further their personal interests.

2.4.3 OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
(b) Employees may not trade on their positions in or their connections with the Corporation for private personal gain except in situations for which they have obtained prior written approval as provided for in the section on exceptions.

(d) In any outside employment and activities, employees may not act as representatives of or spokespersons for the Corporation unless they have obtained prior approval from their supervisor.

(e) Outside employment and activities must not directly restrict employees’ availability to, or indirectly impair their efficiency
with, the Corporation.

2.4.6 PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR
(a) Employees may not engage in activities likely to bring the Corporation into disrepute.

(b) Employees may not take a stand on public controversies if, by doing so, the Corporation’s integrity would be compromised. In exceptional cases, persons engaged expressly for their reputation in a particular subject may be exempted from the prohibition against the taking of a stand on public controversies, by inclusion of a clause to that effect in their individual contracts.

Articles cited from the collective agreement
of the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada,
which represents most of the RCI staff in Montreal

Article 5

JURISDICTION
5.1
The Corporation recognizes the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada (FNC-CSN) as the sole bargaining agent for all on-air staff, and for all persons assigned mainly to program design, preparation, coordination and finalization duties, except for producers and supervisory staff, and staff regarded as supervisory, throughout Quebec and in Moncton, and foreign correspondents. Such staff is grouped within the duties described in Article 34.

Article 6

MANAGEMENT RIGHTS

6.1
It is recognized that the management of the Corporation, the control of its properties, the maintenance of order on its premises and the establishment of policies and standards governing its operations, are the sole responsibility of Management.

6.2
It is further recognized that, to conform with the intent of the Broadcasting Act, the Corporation has the right and responsibility to choose its objectives and determine its methods of operation, to determine the number of staff required to carry out its operations and to hire them, to apply appropriate methods of selecting them, to dismiss them for proper cause, to assign them, and to transfer, promote, or release employees because of lack of work, provided such action is taken in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.

Article 10

JOINT COMMITTEE

10.1
At the request of one or the other of the parties, a joint committee meeting shall be called to examine issues of shared interest not covered by the provisions of the Collective Agreement or to examine problems arising from its application. Cross-skilling and multi-skilling are among the subjects that shall be discussed in such meetings, as well as leave with deferred pay. The Corporation shall inform the Union of its plans before the committee meets.

The committee shall examine all elements pertaining to experimental multi-skilling and continuing multi-skilling, to ensure the process is observed and examine any disputes entailed, in accordance with the provisions of Article 21.

Article 11

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

11.1
For the purpose of this Agreement, a grievance is any complaint, misunderstanding or dispute:

a) relating to the application, interpretation or violation of this Agreement ;

relating to working conditions, whether or not such are clearly specified in the Collective Agreement.

Article 46

PROFESSIONAL PROVISIONS FOR INFORMATION STAFF

46.3
Taking into account Article 46.1 and subject to 6.2 every employee in the exercise of his functions will conform to the directives of the Corporation, more particularly those contained in the Journalistic Policy of the Corporation.

[46.1
The parties recognize that information has to conform to the facts and be of such nature as not to mislead the public, that it has to be complete and exact, that is to say that not only does it have to conform to the facts, but also has to include as much as possi4ble all the elements essential to the understanding of these facts.]

What do you think of all of this? Drop us a note: rciaction@yahoo.ca

See also:
"Committee back after Administration Attempt to Stop Us" Details
What's Going On? Details
What our listeners think of the cuts: Details

How to Support Us: Details