580 CFRA workers unionize

Photo: Bell Media complex in the ByWard Market houses 580 CFRA, along with other radio stations and CTV Ottawa.

Off the heels of Bell Media layoffs last week, it happened to come out that workers at 580 CFRA will join CWA Canada:

About two dozen employees who work as news writers, hosts, producers and technicians at News Talk 580 CFRA say the company’s cost-cutting mandate has caused a swift decline in staffing and created an ever-growing workload … The organizing committee says in a mission statement that low pay overall, a lack of salary increases to keep pace with the cost of living, “coupled with discouraging wage caps (has created) an exhausting struggle to meet the standards that CFRA’s dedicated listenership has come to expect. During this era of indifference (staff) have propped up the station’s reputation, keeping ratings at a high level.

When all is said and done, they will end up joining the Ottawa Newspaper Guild, in the same union that represents workers at CTV Ottawa.