Big Union Vote Authorizes Strike at 'Globe and Mail'

By: E&P Staff Canada's Globe and Mail and its unions returned to the bargaining table Monday after employees voted by 97% to authorize a strike.

A deadline of June 30 at midnight has been set for a strike or lockout by about 500 unionized employees at the Toronto-based national daily. The employees authorizing the strike work in the the editorial, advertising and circulation departments.

Brad Honywill, president of Local 87-M of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, told The Canadian Press the Saturday vote was an historic level of support for union negotiators.

The Globe and Mail, published by the big Canadian television network operator CTVglobmedia Inc., is proposing a six-year contract that would amount to a compounded salary increase of 7.2% over the life of the contract. Management also is asking for one unpaid week each year for all employees, and an increase in the work day from 7 to 7.5 hours with no extra pay for the half-hour increase. Overtime would be paid at straight time for the first half hour after the end of a normal shift.