Earlier this year, the Nova Scotia Labour Board ruled on an application by Local 849 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees for certification of some technical workers of Egg Studios. Egg Studios is a television commercial and digital content business. It has applied to Nova Scotia Supreme Court for a judicial review of the decision. A hearing on Egg’s application is not expected to take place until March 6-7, 2013, according to court documents.
Egg Studios maintains the labour board erred in law by amending the Trade Union Act to create categories of “non-self-dependent” and “occasional” employees, the documents say. The company includes 14 grounds for appeal in its application. CEO Mike Hachey said the labour board decision gave employee status to freelancers who work for the company for an average of only about five days a year. He said the business has about 20 full-time employees and typically brings in 12 to 60 people with different skills for a few days for a particular project, depending on its scope.
Union business agent Gary Vermeir said recently that Local 849 represents several hundred production technicians in Nova Scotia who provide a talent pool for the local film industry. He said these industry technicians should be treated as employees while on set at Egg. They also deserve access to workers’ compensation and to medical and retirement plans, Vermeir said.
However, the CEO has stated that the Halifax company will continue to negotiate in good faith on a first contract for part-time workers. A recent media report quoted him as saying,
We believe we are a good company that treats people well, and we expect this will continue as we negotiate this contract”.
Amery Boyer,
The Human Element, just a different way to manage
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