So I gather from Curt Petrovich and other Blogcritics posters (well, one other anonymous guy claiming CBC employment, but a sizable minority nonetheless) that what I called the "CBC strike" is not a strike, but a lockout and that me using the terms interchangeably is wrong. Of course, I'm noted by at least one blogger for having done this. I apologize for using the two words as if they meant the same thing, considering how much of a sore point this is for some CBC workers. I don't usually mean to be this sloppy in my recreational journalism.
I am not going to apologize, though, for mistakenly using the two terms together up until this point. If the CBC didn't swallow the poison pill and lock out its unionized workers, the Canadian Media Guild would have gone on strike as there was an 87.3% mandate to enact some sort of strike action by the union. When I wrote the offending blog article, it was on the first day of the lockout and I had gone under the assumption that any move, on either the CBC's or the CMG's side, constituted some sort of strike action. The situation the CBC is in now is similar to that of Britain's TV-AM circa 1987 but on a much larger scale. If I used the term "strike," it was because I was using it as an umbrella term for any sort of action enacted by either the union or CBC management, whether it be walkout, lockout or otherwise. I won't do that in the future. I'm not making excuses for my sloppiness, just that I hadn't been paying close attention to what I was writing.
I don't want to be seen as a bad journalist or writer. At the same time, I wrote what I wrote and I do not apologize for having written my previous article. I just didn't write with the degree of clarity I should have, and I'll try to be more careful in the future.
Article comments
1 - SFB#1
I think you should appologize for using the terms interchangeably considering that your previous articile is basically on the side of locked out workers. You said, "What I can't accept from the CBC, though, is the massive push towards temp work." This whole "labour disruption" is down to the fact that CBC Management wants to break the union to replace all of their full time staff with contract workers. If you have ever worked on contract for any duration of time you will know how much this sucks. People are out of work and suffering because a small minority are trying to put their stamp on the CBC and create a FAST FOOD Employment atmosphere. If you can't get your facts straight, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself. The CMG saw the writing on the wall. Management's position had been entrenched for months. CMG's position is negotiate not capitulate. As the partner of a LOCKED OUT worker I find this very insensitive and offensive. I hope you never find yourself in the position of being a long term contract worker who gets laid off weeks before the possiblity of being made permenant. This happens to people all the time.
APOLOGIZE!
2 - James
Waaaah, her feelings are hurt!
Cry me a river.