CBC lockout reaching a conclusion

According to cbcontheline.ca, about 5,500 locked-out CBC and Radio-Canada employees will likely start to vote Thursday on a tentative 5-year agreement, according to the Canadian Media Guild. In a statement posed on the union's Web site, October 11 is set as the back-to-work day for most employees. October 10 is Thanksgiving Day in Canada.

Management will apparently cap the number of fixed-term contract workers employed at CBC at 9.5 percent of the full-time work force. The role of contract workers at the corporation had been a sticking point throughout the labour dispute, with the union accusing management of wanting to create a disposable work force.

According to published reports, wages will increase by 12.6 percent over the life of the contract, running to March 31, 2009. The contract will also include a $1,000 signing bonus. And for the first time, members of CBC's Northern Service will also get an interpreters' premium of $800 a year for those who are required to work in more than one language.

Though the voting could go on all weekend, "Hockey Night in Canada" will likely be back in some form. It would be nice to think they came to this on their own, but the elephant in the room is better known as "hockey." Especially after the sport's lockout that wiped out the whole season for the NHL. (BTW, Hockey Night in Canada plans to open the season showing Montreal at Toronto followed by Vancouver at Edmonton. Some Ontario viewers will see Buffalo at Ottawa in the early game.)

Based on the released terms, you almost wonder what the point of the lockout was. And so will many others when discussing the future of CBC management.