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Show your support for ACTRA performers by sending a letter to ICA.
Ottawa (11 July 2022) — ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) has asked the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) to share information regarding the union-busting actions that have been taken by a former partner — the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA).
ICA trying to gut collective agreement, imposes lock-out on performers
The ICA was one of the signatory partners, along with the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA), to ACTRA’s National Commercial Agreement (NCA) — the collective agreement for performers who work in commercials.
Throughout almost a year of negotiations to renew the NCA, the ICA and 9 large Canadian advertising agencies persistently tried to gut ACTRA’s collective agreement by cutting the pay, health benefits, retirement contributions, and workplace protections for ACTRA’s members and by looking for ways to go non-union for their commercials.
After imposing a lockout deadline of April 26, the ICA declared the agreement expired and unlawfully locked out ACTRA’s 28,000 members from the workplace. The ACA did not support the ICA’s union-busting tactics and subsequently reached an agreement with ACTRA to renew the NCA for a 1-year term.
ACTRA filed an unfair labour practice complaint against the ICA with the Ontario Labour Relations Board and hopes the board will rule in ACTRA’s favour and require the ICA and its 9 member agencies to return to the bargaining table to reach a fair deal.
ACTRA members need your support!
ACTRA is asking for the labour movement’s support. This letter from ACTRA has direct requests for support and action. The CLC will support ACTRA in its efforts and encourages our Affiliates to stand in solidarity with them in joining their action.n,/p>
For those of you based in Vancouver, you are invited to join a direct-action rally outside an advertising agency on Monday, July 11 at 11:30 am. If you are unable to participate in a rally, you are invited to take action virtually starting on July 11 by sharing a tweet or sending an e-mail. Full details are included in the letter.