Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 26/05) - As CBC viewers and listeners endure another week of canned music and reruns, fans of Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe are faced with even more bad news from the lockout.

The NWT Literacy Council announced this week that it is suspending ticket sales for McLean's live taping of his popular CBC radio program at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) until Sept. 8.

Holding pattern

Tickets were to have gone on sale next week for the Sept. 23 and 24 live tapings.

"We're in a bit of a holding pattern, hoping that there will be a quick resolution," said Cate Sills, executive director of the council. "If it isn't resolved by then, we're going to have to reschedule. The show won't be cancelled - just postponed. We're working with Stuart McLean to arrange another date for his visit in late spring or early summer next year."

McLean plans to donate the proceeds from the two shows to support literacy programs in the territories. Norbert Poitras is the host of the Trail's End radio program on CBC North and union vice-president for the NWT.

He said the lockout could stretch into weeks or even months.

"It might be a long one," he said.

"It's sad, because it would be nice to have Stuart McLean bring his show to the North. But Stuart McLean won't be here, obviously, because he's on the picket line."

Poitras said morale is high on the Yellowknife picket line, but some people are starting to look for other jobs. Although 87 per cent of CBC employees voted in favour of strike action, if necessary, last week's lockout came as a surprise.

"We're not out here because we want to be on strike," Poitras said. "The 87 per cent vote in favour of a strike mandate was just a negotiating ploy. As far as I'm concerned, the CBC already planned to take us out, one way or another. Hopefully they will return to the bargaining table soon and I hope that when the CBC is ready to negotiate, it's not a slap in the face for us."

Thirty per cent of CBC employees are non-permanent contract workers and management is looking to increase that figure. Poitras calls this a "disposable workforce."

"It's not about money because the CBC has already offered us a considerable amount of money," he said. "It's about job security."

CBC North referred calls to the Toronto office.

"By the first week of September we'll have a much better idea about what's going on with our labour negotiations," said Lucia Halin, of CBC's audience services in Toronto.

She said the annual CBC True North Concert, scheduled for mid-September at NACC, likely won't proceed during the lockout.

"But I'm not sure if Yellowknife is a little unique," she added.

Lorne Elliot's performance at NACC is not affiliated with the CBC and will proceed as scheduled, said NACC executive director Ben Nind.

The CBC workers will rally at 11:30 a.m. today at the CBC building to meet with the public as they walk downtown and back.

- with files from Andrea Markey