FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release – April 28, 2008

CEP Local 816M has won its grievance against CTV

A Manitoba arbitrator has ruled that CTV’s mandatory retirement policy impairs Charter rights.

CEP Local 816M has won its grievance against CTV Winnipeg’s unfair mandatory retirement policy.  CTV had celebrated the 65th birthday of a long-serving member of their engineering staff, Terry Kenny, by handing him his pink slip.

The 85-page arbitration award was delivered by the arbitrator, Arne Peltz, on April 28, 2008.  Mr. Peltz noted, “On the available evidence, I cannot find that there is a reasonable basis for believing that the employment regime of pensions, job security, good wages and reasonable benefits requires the maintenance of mandatory retirement at age 65 or a predominant age.”

In Manitoba, there has not been mandatory retirement since the 1970’s but because broadcast employees are regulated by federal legislation, CTV argued that the normal retirement age for employees working in a comparable field is uniformly 65.  The Union disputed the company’s position and pointed to the absence of mandatory retirement requirements at other Canadian networks such as CBC and APTN. 

As a result of the arbitration award, Mr. Kenny will be entitled to compensation on the basis that he was terminated without just cause.  The union was not seeking reinstatement in light of the fact that the grievor is currently working as an engineer at a competing television station.

CEP Local 816M represents about 50 employees at Winnipeg’s CTV station. CEP represents 150,000 working people coast to coast in energy, paper, telecommunications, media and commercial printing.

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