Postmedia says it will lock out its workers at the Ottawa Citizen at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 10 if they vote against the company’s final offer.
The vote is set to be held on Sept. 9. after the previous agreement expired almost three years ago. In a letter released to union members, the company references the “Halifax dispute” in respect to effects it had on jobs at the Chronicle Herald, another Postmedia newspaper.
In a letter released to union members in August, the union says the company is seeking several concessions in its offer, particularly to health benefits and sick leave.
According to that same bulletin, Postmedia gave its top executives a 33 per cent raise in 2017. The union says its members have not had a raise in six years.
According to Lois Kirkup, vice president of the Ottawa Newspapers guild, 63 employees would affected by this potential lockout. Kirkup also confirmed that should a lockout occur, members of the Montreal Newspaper Guild will also strike in solidarity.
Postmedia continues to go through restructuring as it tries to tackle its $282-million debt. While online revenue for the company continues to grow, print advertising revenue is on a steady decline.
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