NABET 700-M Unifor ratifies new agreement with Canadian Media Production Association

Main Image
Image
NABET-700 bargaining committee members seated at a table.
Share

A new collective agreement has been ratified after NABET 700-M Unifor reached a deal with Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) that includes wage increases, a new Women’s Representative and stronger language to address workplace harassment.

“Our relationship with Canadian producers has never been stronger,” said Jonathan Ahee, the President of NABET 700-M Unifor. “We were able to address our mutual concerns at the bargaining table and can now return our focus to ensuring Ontario remains globally competitive so we can continue to build our world class screen-based industry.”

The agreement features wage increases of 3% in each year of the 3-year term, which is the highest yearly wage increase in the local’s history. The bargaining committee, with support from the Women’s Committee, negotiated implementation of a Women’s Representative training program.

Other gains include clearer definitions on harassment in the workplace, comprehensive union involvement in harassment investigations conducted by the employer and clarification regarding training requirements. “These achievements represent important milestones towards harassment free workplaces; they also enshrine mechanisms to prevent, report and respond to such incidents,” said Ahee.

Highlights also include a commitment to first aid training for technicians in carpentry and paint shops and improvements on work life balance, health & safety and harassment.

As in the previous four rounds of collective bargaining with the CMPA, the bargaining committee consulted with the membership for more than a year prior to negotiations. Through general meetings, departmental meetings, bargaining specific meetings and an online bargaining survey, insightful feedback was received about the gains needed and workers’ shared experiences in film, television and digital media productions.

 “The bargaining committee showed unprecedented solidarity at the bargaining table and worked around the clock, both at the table and in the weeks prior to negotiations, to ensure members were represented in the best way possible,” said Chris Toudy, Senior Vice President, NABET 700-M Unifor. “The evidence of their hard work can be seen in the significant improvements negotiated.”

The committee would like to thank the members for showing such solidarity, which helped the committee negotiate major gains that make this local a leader in Ontario’s screen-based industry.

NABET 700-M UNIFOR represents more than 3,000 qualified Technicians in fifteen departments of the film, television and digital media production industry in Ontario, including construction, hair, makeup, props, transportation, lighting, sound and set dressing.