We have an agreement in principle!
We are very pleased to report that the Canadian Media Guild and CBC management have reached an agreement in principle that will form the basis for a new, fair collective agreement.
We still have work to do. A committee will be formed to write the remaining contract language to form a tentative agreement for ratification.
The next phase of negotiations is to work out a return to work protocol. We’ll get back to you with more details as quickly as we can. Until further notice, picket lines will remain in effect.
Here are some initial highlights of the deal:
• we have a strong commitment to permanent staff as the standard for employment at the CBC.
• We have improved rights for contract and temporary employees.
• Wages will increase by 12.6 percent over the life of the contract to March 31, 2009. There will be full retroactivity for all employees on the payroll prior to the lockout, including contract and temporary employees. There will also be a $1000 signing bonus.
And for the first time for our members in the Northern Service, there will be an interpreters’ premium of $800.00 per year for those who are required to work in more than one language.
We would like to thank everyone for their resolve and support. We will be meeting the minister of labour tomorrow morning and will continue the rest of the work for a tentative agreement.
We’ll get more details to you as soon as possible.
ASHLEE’S BACK
Saturday Night Live announcing that Ashlee Simpson will be the musical guest next Saturday, after weeks of rumors. The singer, who turns 21 on Monday, was booed offstage from SNL last year when she was caught lip-synching.
'Showgirls' Sex Scene Named Cinema's Worst
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- England's Empire magazine has crowned Elizabeth Berkley's "Showgirls" tryst with Kyle MacLachlan as the worst sex scene in cinematic history.
In the famous scene, Berkley's Nomi Malone and MacLachlan's Zack Carey flop around in a garish Vegas swimming pool, thrusting and flailing and splashing up a storm.
"It's supposed to be the best sex in the world but, as Berkley thrashes around in the water, it looks more like the first ten minutes of 'Jaws,'" Empire says.
Second place in the poll goes to the escalatingly violent encounter between Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche in "Damage," while Heather Graham and Joseph Fiennes take third with a scene from 2002's "Killing Me Softley."
It's unclear how those two moments could have been worse than the forth place ugly bump in "Body of Evidence," which expects viewers to get turned on by Madonna pouring hot wax on Willem Dafoe. Kathleen Turner's "Crimes of Passion" sex romps get fifth, somehow worse than Sharon Stone doing Sylvester Stallone in the shower in "The Specialist."
The staff at Empire scientifically compiled the list after going through a vast selection of cinematic humping. The complete list appears in the magazine's issue which will be available on Friday (Sept. 30) in the U.K. and eventually at fine booksellers worldwide.
West Re-Teams with Myers After Bush Bash
Kanye West has made light of the controversy surrounding his attack on President George W. Bush by teaming up with funnyman Mike Myers for a topical comedy sketch, last Saturday.
While sharing screen time with Myers during a live Hurricane Katrina telethon last month, West sparked outrage when he veered away from his script to declare Bush "does not care about black people".
And during the rapper's appearance on Saturday Night Live, the show's creator Lorne Michaels appeared in a sketch where he sent cast member Finesse Mitchell into West's dressing room to talk him out of saying anything controversial during his performance.
West then stepped out and confronted Michaels before strolling down to corridors to meet a nervous Myers, who said, "How's everything going? I haven't seen you since... when was it? I forgot, the telethon. I got a lot of calls about it - mostly from the FBI and the Irs. They rook away from my American citizenship. Still got my Canadian one to fall back on! I'm pretty sure my phone's tapped. They follow me now." West told a weeping Myers to "party on" before taking to the stage to perform his hit track "Gold Digger" with a full orchestra.
Later in the broadcast, West was joined by Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine to perform their song "Heard 'Em Say."
'Flightplan' Lands on Top of Box Office
LOS ANGELES - Jodie Foster's "Flightplan" stayed aloft at the box office, as the airplane thriller took in $15 million to remain the No. 1 movie over a rush of new wide releases.
The science-fiction tale "Serenity," a continuation of writer-director Joss Whedon's cult TV series "Firefly," debuted in second place with $10.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The overall box office, which had surged since Labor Day, fell back into a slump that has persisted most of the year. The top 12 movies grossed $75.3 million, down 26 percent from the same weekend in 2004, when "Shark Tale" opened with $47.6 million.
The animated fantasy " Tim Burton's Corpse Bride" was No. 3 with $9.8 million, lifting its total to $32.9 million after two weekends in wide release.
After a strong opening in limited release the previous weekend, David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" expanded and came in fourth with $8.2 million. The film stars Viggo Mortensen as a family man whose tranquil life is shattered by encounters with mobsters.
"Into the Blue," a thriller with Paul Walker and Jessica Alba as divers hunting for treasure in a 150-year-old shipwreck, opened at No. 5 with $7 million.
The sports flick "The Greatest Game Ever Played," which dramatizes the 1913 U.S. Open golf showdown between an unknown amateur ( Shia LaBeouf) and a veteran British champ ( Stephen Dillane), debuted at No. 9 with $3.75 million.
Roman Polanski's "Oliver Twist," his new take on the Charles Dickens classic featuring Ben Kingsley, flopped in its wide-release debut after a solid premiere in a handful of theaters a weekend earlier.
Playing in 779 theaters, "Oliver Twist" took in just $875,000 for an $1,123 average. By comparison, "A History of Violence" averaged $6,119 in 1,340 theaters, "Serenity" averaged $4,616 in 2,188 cinemas, "Greatest Game" managed $3,697 in 1,014 movie houses and "Into the Blue" did $2,510 in 2,789 locations.
Polanski's version received mixed reviews, some critics noting the film faithfully adapted Dickens' story but brought little new to the tale of the orphan boy, which has been filmed in many variations for movies and television.
"It's probably one of those things where people feel they know the story so well, and to try to get them to come see it again, possibly in a new way, is not the easiest task," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony, which released "Oliver Twist."
Opening strongly in limited release was "Capote," starring Philip Seymour Hoffman in an acclaimed performance as author Truman Capote during his years researching and writing the true-crime novel "In Cold Blood." The film grossed $348,978 in 12 theaters for a $29,082 average.
Also in limited release, "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" debuted with $155,000 in 41 theaters, averaging $3,780. The film stars Julianne Moore as a 1950s housewife who supports her family by winning advertising jingle contests.
Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Flightplan," $15 million.
2. "Serenity," $10.1 million.
3. "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride," $9.8 million.
4. "A History of Violence," $8.2 million.
5. "Into the Blue," $7 million.
6. "Just Like Heaven," $6.1 million.
7. "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," $4.4 million.
8. "Roll Bounce," $4 million.
9. "The Greatest Game Ever Played," $3.75 million.
10. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," $3.1 million.