Striking Chronicle Herald workers joined by unionists on Sydney picket line

Striking Chronicle Herald workers in Sydney got a show of solidarity from some Cape Breton unionists on Wednesday morning.

About 30 members of the Cape Breton Island Building and Construction Trades Council joined the striking workers in Sydney to show support for the three Cape Breton journalists who walked off the job — along with 54 of their colleagues on mainland Nova Scotia — almost four months ago.

Unionized plumbers, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, among others, came out to take a stand on what they say is the Herald's unwillingness to come back to the bargaining table, he said.

'It's too long to be out'

"It looks like a union-busting tactic to me," said Gerard Boudreau, an organizer with the Cape Breton Carpenters Union Local 1588.

Reporter Tom Ayers has been carrying a picket sign in front of the Herald's Cape Breton bureau since the strike began on Jan. 23.

"It's 117 days today, and it's too long to be out with no discussion altogether," he said. 

Discussion with conciliator

Ayers says his union has been trying through a provincial conciliator to get the company back to the table.

"The company is just not interested in talking to us. It's a take it or leave it deal. At this point, there's no end in sight," he said.

Ian Scott, the Herald's chief operating officer, told CBC News he had a discussion today with the provincial conciliator assigned to the dispute, but the specifics of that discussion are not known.

Concessions offered

The Halifax Typographical Union represents editorial staff at the Herald and says it offered the company major concessions in contract talks, such as a five-per cent wage cut and fewer vacation days, but says the paper's owner wanted the concessions to go much further.

The union says it drew the line when the owner demanded the ability to contract out some production jobs and to make changes to seniority, which the union says would effectively eliminate job security.

Ayers said it's especially discouraging to see what's happening, in light of the Herald's apparent commitment two years ago to build up its presence —and its business — in Cape Breton. He says that for years, the paper had only two reporters covering Cape Breton, but that changed two years ago.

"They rented an office, they hired some advertising representatives, they started a weekly paper [called] The Cape Breton Star. They were really trying to improve the Cape Breton coverage," said Ayers.

Strikers appreciate support

Boudreau sees the Herald's position as an attack on veteran staff members.

"There should be respect for the experienced worker," he said, noting that many of the newspaper's editorial staff have been there for more than 20 years.

He speculates the company is trying to "throw them aside in favour of someone new."

Ayers said while he and his two colleagues on the picket line are discouraged and disheartened after almost four months on the sidelines, he's buoyed by the support shown by fellow unionists.

"That has raised our spirits unbelievably," he said.