Dr. Victor Rabinovitch
President and Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
100 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Québec
K1A OM8
RE: Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
Dr. Rabinovitch: I am dismayed to hear that the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation has issued a "gag order" to its Board of Trustees and is refusing to allow striking PSAC members at the Museum of Civilization and War Museum - and their elected representatives - to speak with Board members.
PSAC has been provided with a copy of a letter from the CMCC's lawyer, which states that "no individual Trustee will grant an audience to PSAC representatives nor will Trustees attend any other meeting or information session conducted by PSAC on these matters".
The letter was sent after Daniel Poulin, CMCC employee and President of PSAC Local 70396, made phone calls to members of the CMCC's Board of Trustees, in an attempt to share the perspective of workers who are currently on strike at the Museum of Civilization and War Museum. Similar phone calls were also made by PSAC Regional Executive Vice-Presidents in other parts of Canada.
After nearly four weeks on the picket line, and a complete refusal by CMCC management to take our concerns seriously, we feel that it is critical that Board of Trustee members hear the employees' side of the story.
Negotiations belong at the bargaining table and consequently we have no interest whatsoever in negotiating directly with Board members. Still, it is outrageous that PSAC's attempt to speak with Board members about their working conditions was countered with a letter from the Corporation's lawyer saying that no one will speak with them.
Surely the members of a Crown Corporation Board have a responsibility to receive information and discuss issues with museum stakeholders.
The Board cannot hide from this dispute. It is just as much theirs as it is ours.
PSAC members will continue to appeal directly to CMCC Board members to explain why the museum workers' goals in this round of negotiations are fair and reasonable.
Sincerely,
John Gordon
National President, PSAC
c.c.
André E. Audet
Judith Baxter
Linda Cardinal
Duncan Dee
Fredrik S. Eaton
Jack L. Granatstein
Ken Langile
Stéfanie Pelletier
Ruth Ramsden-Wood
Fiona Robin
Laurie Watson
Alliance Executive Committee
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
