Directors Guild of Canada BC District Council Issues Strike Notice

Announcement follows strike vote where 92.2% voted yes in fight for respect, fairness and safety

VANCOUVER, BC, April 26, 2022 /CNW/ - The Directors Guild of Canada, BC District Council (DGC BC) today issued strike notice to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Canadian Media Producers Association-BC.

The announcement comes following DGC BC's first-ever strike vote, in which members and eligible permittee logbook holders voted 92.2% in favour of a strike mandate. The union requested a meeting with the employers in an attempt to resolve the matter. The parties met on April 25. No progress was made towards reaching a deal.

"Yesterday, we met with the Negotiating Producers. In light of the overwhelming support for a strike mandate, we had expected them to address the issues that are vitally important to our members. They did not," says Allan Harmon, District Council Chairman, DGC BC. "Their refusal to address these issues has left us with no other choice but to issue strike notice." 

The strike notice means that: 

• Moving forward there can be no new safe harbour agreements. 
• Productions with existing safe harbour agreements will be protected from any labour action. 
• 72 hours after the strike notice is served, any production that is not covered by a safe harbour agreement may be subject to labour action.

"We want labour stability, but we need an agreement that provides respect, fairness and safety for everyone working under our contract," says Kendrie Upton, Executive Director, DGC BC. "We care about this industry. We have always been willing to negotiate. The employers need to do their part and work with us to hammer out a fair deal."

The key issues that remain outstanding are: 

• Minimum wage differentials: as minimum wage increases, so should all wage rates of lower-paid positions
• Payment terms for COVID testing 
• Retroactivity of wage increases to the expiry of the last collective agreement
• The Negotiating Producers' demands for further concessions

These issues primarily impact the lowest paid and most vulnerable positions.

About the DGC BC

The Directors Guild of Canada, BC District Council (DGC BC) represents the creative and logistical personnel in the film and television industry in British Columbia. The DGC BC Collective Agreement covers the categories of Director, 2nd Unit Director, Production & Unit Manager, plus those employed in the various Assistant Director and Locations Departments, including entry level Production Assistants.

https://www.dgc.ca/en/british-columbia/

SOURCE Directors Guild of Canada - BC District Council

Media Contact: Gwen Hardy | Elettra Communications | [email protected] | 604 809 0062