After consecrating several posts on workplace bullying, and hearing our great Steve Jones rant about Toshiba’s lack of action regarding their own products, I have a very recent anecdote that should turn the heads of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known to locals as the CBC) within the province, and those who are responsible for maintaining standards within this public institution: CBC CEO Hubert LaCroix. I am taking this action publically since Quebec's CBC head did not reply to a message sent on March 13, 2010 regarding the following legal issue, nor registered letters weeks afterwards (updated post) on top of the ethics code violations. UPDATE (end of April 2010) - Thankfuly executives saw the light, or were reminded by CBC Union Lawyers, and Nancy has returned to Television with her position on Enquête's English Version.
Nancy Wood’s Cause Célèbre: Montreal Daybreak Listeners Revolt Against CBC Gall
Pia Marquard, the CBC’s head in
Wake of this Damaging, Weakly-Founded Attack on Nancy’s Career: Our Host, from Our City
Although only weeks later we have come to understand that the lack of ratings scapegoat was leaked to the press somehow (typical of a new host within the first year of their tenure, hence BS scapegoat), to justify the change in host of Daybreak in reaction to the outcry, Madame Marquard initially responded to critics that for personal issues and the principle of secrecy with respect to our former morning host as an employee, she would not be providing the reasons behind her ousting. This is completely ironic, since the source of the weeks of anguish and embarrassment that Nancy as a person had to endure was caused by CBC Management’s ignorance with respect to how psychological harassment can affect an employee - and the many months more it will take for Nancy to recover (a workplace harassment specialist was referred to her BTW by yours truly, since I lived through a similar attack by the workplace goons at the Caisse de Défauts) from this disrespectful treatment. I ask the said Madame who is responsible for this insensitive action, if not her? And why are you acting as if it is
Many journalists pointed out (see references below) the lack of honesty regarding the her mistreatment, and CBC Quebec’s disengagement with its English-speaking audience (listeners bombarded CBC Management for their brain-fart), but none, as of yet, have noticed that Labour Standards Laws apply to this situation. Even if they are Provincial Laws, still doesn’t mean that you can break them in Federal Offices located in Quebec - this is a confederation, remember.
The Harassment Did Not Stop There, Believe It Or Not...
Progressive labour standards laws exist in
The next unwanted gesture taken under Marquard’s management, earlier this month, was to state on the CBC Daybreak website, and in responses to angry listeners who stepped into save the victim from corporate bullying, that Ms. Wood was simply a ‘temporary’ host – actually using the phrase that she was only an Interim host (see the boilerplate letter below). Witnesses of
Respect for the Rule of Law: What the Labour Standards Act States
http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/in-case-of/psychological-harassment-at-work/index.html
Vexatious behaviour is humiliating, offensive or abusive for the person on the receiving end. It injures the person’s self-esteem and causes him anguish. It exceeds what a reasonable person considers appropriate within the context of his work.
--
Affect the person's dignity or integrity
-- Stating that she was an Interim host (lies, here's the original CBC page announcing her start at Daybreak) and not the actual host is a clear violation of
Conclusion and the Way to Fix Up this Mess – Recover CBC Management’s Integrity
I wonder what more jambettes does CBC Managment have in store for the talented professionals working for the CBC in
Stepping in to Protect the Victim from Corporate Ignorance
My goal with this public post is to make it impartially clear to those higher up in her CBC hierarchy that CBC Management in Montreal is completely misinformed with respect to laws that protect those who are considered employees under the Labour Standards Act (fixed hours, subordination, and having to use CBC equipment) and violating of any law by CBC Staff, should not be taken lightly (not to mention Ethics Code abuses, which could be a whole post on its own regarding accountability), as it will lead to more inappropriate behaviour - just in the same way that Nancy Wood pointed out on Daybreak that ex-Premier Landry’s Xeno/Anglophobic comments regarding Sabia as head of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec were completely inappropriate. Thus, I appeal to you Ministers and Directors to help us bring
If you do not believe it is enforced by the Working Standards Commission, think again, as they attack the largest pension fund manager in the province, and even the country, flanked by the Human Rights Commission here on my behalf.
Thank you most sincerely,
Hugo Shebbeare
Relevant References:
The Bring Back Nancy Wood Facebook Page (now renamed Montreal CBC Watch) – many outraged witnesses to the illegal psychological harassment commented there as the surreal events unfolded before their eyes – it becomes obvious that Marquard and her co-horts were indirectly keen on denigrating Nancy’s own self-esteem and dignity. Ironically, there are more members in this FB group, than the actual Daybreak FB group itself, by over one hundred!
Fagstien’s Blog posts relating to Nancy Wood’s Mistreatment (he lists many, many more sources)
When she was given the position: http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/08/21/nancy-wood-daybreak-host/
Upholding Information Rights by Christopher Graham, Information Commissioner’s Keynote Address to the Data Protection Officer Conference on March 3rd, 2010 held in
The letter which indicates the violations of law by Marquard:
First, we'd like to thank you for your dedication to Daybreak - we're glad to know that it's part of your weekday morning. We also understand that because you're a regular Daybreak listener, you are concerned about our recent decision to change the show's host.
Nancy Wood joined the Daybreak team as the interim host in August 2009. It was not a permanent assignment and when she returns from her current absence she will begin a new assignment at the CBC.
We understand that some of Daybreak's listeners will not only miss Nancy as the show's host, but have also asked for more details regarding our decision. Our policy, like most organizations, is not to disclose personal and confidential information regarding our employees. We think this is an important principle of privacy and respect for all of our employees.
We sincerely thank
Thank you for listening to Daybreak
Pia Marquard
Managing Director, Québec
Nancy has clearly said to us via personal e-mails and comments to close friends that she is still trying to recover from this disrespectful behaviour, so Pia is only covering her ass and trying to use the smoke and mirrors technique to avoid blame for workplace bullying actions against Nancy that continued after her position was taken from her.
CBC’s lack of clarity and outraged listener response [abridged from Steve Faguy's site]: http://blog.fagstein.com/2010/03/10/nancy-wood-debate/
· In its non-response to the many listeners who are supporting Nancy Wood the CBC brass is acting as though the CBC is a privately owned medium. Actually, I would define the CBC as private in effect, regardless of its public funding.
Shloime Perel
- DidiM says:
Shloime: By LAW it's supposed to be the same with CBC. But that LAW has been IGNORED for decades! The Politico - & THEIR PALS - control everything. The interesting thing is, it's taken the Nancy Wood firing to have us Joe Public - take a deeper look into what the hell is REALLY going on with OUR Publicly Owned Broadcaster. And I tell you - at first I thought I'd found a 'can of worms'... turns out, it's a LANDFILL of worms. It's a tightly knit , 'You Can't Get In' 'Boys Club' & Gal friends... network: that's astonishing. Not to mention the incredible 'Salaries' they're paying themselves.
- Hugo Shebbeare says:
Come on, the real reason Pia Marquard dropped Nancy, all during a quick and dirty change in management, was most probably because a combination of multiple reasons (which they think we do not see with their boilerplate official responses).
1) Jealous of this woman's beauty [okay, not so important here].
2) Jealous of her intelligence (because the daybreak people currently are not up to her level, sorry guys)
3) Unwanted gestures from management that are TOTALLY insensitive (faceless, unaccountable bureaucratic chumps, LYING TO US THAT SHE WAS INTERIM)
4) This is a classic vexatious behaviour and attack on people who push the bar.
I would file a complaint with the Working Standards Commission Nancy, with a combination of the above reasons filed with dates and timings of the events related to the law:
http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/in-case-of/psychological-harassment-at-work/index.html (most relevant and important)
http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/in-case-of/dismissal-not-made-for-good-and-sufficient-cause/index.html
http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/in-case-of/unjustified-change-of-status/index.html
You are protected by the Labour Standards Act Nancy, even if you have a contract - when you are subject to subordination, fixed hours, and have to use CBC's equipment and not your own to do your job.
I was attacked for being too good a worker at the Caisse de Défauts (before their colossal train-wreck in fall of 2008) for many of the above reasons, so don't give up the fight
CBC management are being clearly unprofessional with respect to Nancy Wood.
Pia, reinstate her in the morning, or I (and I hope WE, as I assume many here agree) shall formally request your resignation, this is disgusting, stop playing games with OUR MONEY.
We want
- disillusioned cbcer says:
Are you for real?
Hugo Shebbeare says:
DC - are you for real (?) or do you always write without actually revealing your name. Click on my link or Google me, if you want to see who I am.
Pia Marquard and Rob Renaud are violating the Labour Standards Act, from the information I have read in support of this great woman we know as Nancy Wood. If you were given a permanent job, then you have the right to stability and not unwanted stress of harassment about petty ratings, etc. CBC Managment has to right to make decisions, but they first must respect the Law, and it seems, from all I have read so far, they most certainly are not. En plus, c'est du mensonge, ce 'interim' jeux de bouc-emmisaire.
- Fagstein says:
Let's not go crazy here. Wood isn't being fired, and her position as host of Daybreak was a contract that isn't being renewed. It's a dick move, but I don't think it was violating any law.
- Hugo Shebbeare says:
Don't be naïve, the Labour Standards Act exists for a reason. It’s up to her to use it as protection from the corporate dogs.
- DidiM says:
Fagstein, Sorry I have to agree with Hugh. They are breaking labor laws. It cannot be denied that they've put Woods into an impossible position. She was fired from her current position, without warning or reason; She is Obviously very popular with the listeners. I mean, can you recall ANY Media personality - getting this type of support from Montrealers? I sure as hell can't.
And what kind of a nightmare - working environment do you think is ahead for her at CBC? Is she going to be - demoted - hidden away - have her life made as uncomfortable as possible (as if it could get more uncomfortable, sigh). You know how it goes. The environment they have placed her in right now - is a very clear violation.
- Maria Gatti says:
What's with the "hot blonde" and "jealous of
I certainly preferred her to the pompous René-Homier Roy on Radio-Canada, but now I find myself listening to the Radio-Canada morning show despite him, simply because the CBC one is currently such a mess.
I'm heartened you, Gazette staffers and Marie-Claire Lortie are raising this. I doubt CBC are breaking any labour laws: "la précarisation" is more an more the lot of many if not most of us in communications, publishing and related cultural industries. It will take a groundswell of public support for Ms Wood to be reinstated. The format problem's aren't her fault.
I am sorry Maria, Fagstien and to any others who do not understand what psychological harassment is in the workplace.
Nancy has suffered a great deal of unwanted anguish over this - Management have to wait for the end, or near end of the contract - and not in the middle of it, before pulling the rug out from underneath her feet - it's disgustingly vexatious and insensitive. I was told just past half way through my year long contact 'ton mandat à changé' whilst only a week later was replaced with a subservient cog doing the same tasks.
I think you should read the links I have provided to the details above and below.
And if you still don't understand how the govt enforces this law read my post : http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/hugo/archive/2010/02/15/first-public-hearing-against-quebec-s-pension-fund-manager-the-beginning-of-proof-multiple-laws-were-violated-before-sabia-took-over.aspx
While at the Caisse, every possible workplace bullying trick in the book was pulled, and in the end I even had racial comments to deal with...only a shrink brought me back from the brink of suicide. I think we all need to support
- Youppi! says:
I do not understand why people are getting on Fagstein's case for doing what he always does.
I haven't listened to Daybreak with Finnerty or Wood as host very much, I think they both suck, but I'm totally intrigued and interested on why the move was made and the politics and ratings issues behind it. Keep up the good fight Fagstein!
I hope whatever they do with Daybreak, it involves blowing up that tired formula and starting from scratch. It's so frustrating that TEAM 990 is the best English morning radio option right now.
- Caroline says:
Here's the response I received to my email:
-----------------
First, we’d like to [Blah, Blah, Blah, same old message - meaning we don't care to answer any specific concerns...]
Thank you for listening to Daybreak.
Best,
Pia Marquard
Managing Director,
- DidiM says:
Caroline: That's the same reply everyone got. I did get one other reply from Pia, yesterday.I posted it and my reply on http://www.bullbullet.com Note: Site is still rough, haven't had TIME to set it up the way I'd like. The 'can of worms' is keeping me very busy.
Didi
---- end of excerpts from Fagstein's blog