ACTRA boycotts Rogers and other firms over non-union commercials

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is calling for a boycott of six major retailers it accuses of using non-union actors in its commercials. One of the boycotted firms is Rogers Communications Inc. Advertising agencies in this country have a collective known as the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) which negotiates with ACTRA. The National Commercial Agreement between the two expired last April and ICA declined to renew it. Negotiations are continuing, under a media blackout. “They’re using non-union performers, replacement workers, to replace us,” ACTRA national president Eleanor Noble told the Wire Report in a telephone interview. The Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) which represents the advertisers themselves did renew the commercial agreement with ACTRA. In addition to Rogers, the union is calling for consumers to boycott H&R Block, Canadian Tire, M&M Food Market, McDonald’s, and Walmart. Noble concedes that it is problematic getting people to cancel their Rogers subscriptions in favour of other options. It is easier to switch suppliers for the other companies on the boycott list. “We targeted six prominent brands that are locking out ACTRA performers,” Noble continued. ”We have a relationship with them over 60 years that we work together and now they’re choosing not to work with us and we have performers that have been out of work for 11 months and it’s unconscionable that they continue to press forward to not want to use union actors.” The union is also calling on the federal government to sever its relationship with Cossette Media which has been using non-union performers in its advertising. In 2021, Cossette earned $137 million in federal advertising contracts, an ACTRA news release stated. A union complaint alleging Cossette negotiated in bad faith is currently before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Noble points out the federal government is dealing with a non-union advertising firm at the same time it is proposing anti-scab legislation in the House of Commons. Rogers did not respond to a request for comment. –Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca and editing by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

ACTRA boycotts Rogers and other firms over non-union commercials

Broadcast | March 28, 2023

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ACTRA boycotts Rogers and other firms over non-union commercials

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