Students looking for their big break ... would you?

[Flash]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/10/10/mtl-gazettestrike1010.html?ref=rss


Journalism students offered work in case of Gazette strike
Last Updated: Friday, October 10, 2008 | 11:17 AM ET Comments4Recommend7
CBC News

Canwest News Service is recruiting journalism students from Concordia University to replace workers at the Montreal Gazette in case there is a strike or lockout.

CBC News has learned that several students were approached with offers to work for the news service on a fill-in basis, in case Gazette editorial, advertising and sales staff decides to execute their strike mandate.

Journalism student Dominique Jarry-Shore received a call from a Canwest editor asking her whether she would be interested in writing for the newspaper.

"He explained that it was because of the contentious labour negotiations that were going on and the possibility of a strike, and that he was trying to line up people to write for him," said Jarry-Shore, who has written on a freelance basis for the Gazette in the past.

She declined, despite what she called the enticing nature of the offer.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Oy vey....baaaaaaaad idea.

When I was a student at the University of Western Ontario, the London Free Press went on strike. One of our photogs took pics for them at a football game. Suffice it to say, it was never forgotten.

However, now that I think of how badly some unions are getting crushed, maybe there would be fewer repercussions.

 

[cranberry]

It's not about whether these student can get away with it without suffering repercussions. Being a scab -- undermining a fellow worker involved in a job dispute -- is immoral.

 

[Flash]

First thing that came to mind was CanWest plucking middle management types from throughout the chain to cover during the Herald strike.

There was nothing pretty about that, either.

 

[Oggiedoggie]

It might be an excellent opportunity to get some good clips for your BLOG!

 

[Ace]

It's really bad of management to screw with students this way. Beyond the reaction of their peers, if these are full-time jobs with no set beginning and ending time, they expecting the kids to just shelve school?

Bastards.

 

[Screwball]

It's been more than a few years since I lived in Montreal, but isn't Concordia predominantly French-speaking? Shouldn't the Gazette be recruiting at McGill?

 

[friend of the friendless]

Sirs, Madames,

Bad idea anytime, but especially in my favorite distinct society, which is a pro-union environment -- a big dif when comparing it to breaking the union at the Herald.

YD&OHS, etc

 

[JakeandElwood]

It'd be tempting, but there's no way I would end up doing it.

 

[pallister]

What would be tempting about taking another person's job when they're fighting for a better livelihood?

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

I would never do it, but I know of people who have done it recently and the repercussions weren't very severe. The unions just don't have any teeth anymore to make scabbing the hell it should be. :'(

 

[Flash]

Sirs, Madames,

Bad idea anytime, but especially in my favorite distinct society, which is a pro-union environment -- a big dif when comparing it to breaking the union at the Herald.

YD&OHS, etc

Makes me want to never again touch a CanWest publication.

 

[schiezainc]

Ya know, I live in Rhode Island. If the Projo was going on strike, I would seriously consider it. I really would.

Call me a scab, call me what you want, but in this day and age it might be the only way to get up the ladder.

That being said, I doubt I would go through with it. A.) Because I'm a *****, B.) Because I respect a lot of the writers that work there and C.) Because I know that I wouldn't like it it the situation were reversed.

 

[JakeandElwood]

What would be tempting about taking another person's job when they're fighting for a better livelihood?

Absolutely nothing. My first thought would have been the clips. But then I would think about how I was getting them, and I wouldn't do it. Hence the tempting, but I would never do it post.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

It's not about whether these student can get away with it without suffering repercussions. Being a scab -- undermining a fellow worker involved in a job dispute -- is immoral.

It's hardly immoral. Not a good idea, though.

 

[Some Guy]

What would be tempting about taking another person's job when they're fighting for a better livelihood?

What would be tempting?

You would have a job.

 

[SF_Express]

When I was in college, I worked for my hometown newspaper as a part-timer and really liked it, liked the staff -- they were both mentors and friends to me -- and of course, I loved doing it in my hometown.

But when I graduated, they didn't have anything for me and told me to go out and get some experience, and maybe I could return some day. So I went to work for the 20,000 circulation paper down the road an hour.

About six months in, the staff at my local paper struck, and the sports editor was on the phone with a job offer. And he really laid it on: "Ya know, buddy, there might not be another offer like this, maybe ever. This is a great opportunity for you."

At the time, that was my dream job -- living in my hometown, covering sports for the morning newspaper there. And both my and my first wife's families lived there.

I just couldn't do it. I wouldn't have been able to look those people in the eye if I took a job that might mean somebody might not get theirs back, or if my working gave the paper less incentive to settle the strike. And, frankly, there was a selfish issue, too: Perhaps when they finally settled, getting jobs back would be part of it, and I'd be out on the street.

So I said no. And I urge anybody in a similar situation to say no, too. Getting a job is important, but some things are more important, and there are too many downsides, personally, professional and ethically.

 

[mustangj17]

What would be tempting about taking another person's job when they're fighting for a better livelihood?

Because those students are fighting for a better livelihood. And for the record, I wouldn't do it, unless I was on the verge of becoming homeless. No way you're getting another job when it basically says you are a scab on your resume.

 

[spaceman]

don't do it. And the paper is a scumbag for preying on students.

 

[whatwoulddamondo?]

don't do it. And the paper is a scumbag for preying on students.

this is the correct answer, especially the part about preying on young adults, though in this job market, i could understand why a student would leap at this.