A Global News cameraman films at the Oliphant Commission in Ottawa, Tuesday April 14, 2009. Unifor says Corus-owned Global News has cut nearly 80 media jobs across Canada.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
February 15, 2018 - 4:30 PM
KELOWNA – Vancouver was hardest hit by newsroom layoffs at Global News in B.C., but the Okanagan wasn’t spared with three people handed layoff notices.
Unifor, the union representing the employees at the Kelowna-based TV station, will not provide the names of the individuals laid off out of respect for their privacy.
The union will only say two full time camera operators and one full time news producer have lost their jobs.
iNFOnews.ca earlier reported Kelowna reporter Blaine Gaffney was among the layoffs, which was correct at the time. No reporters were part of the layoffs in Kelowna, the union says.
A source with knowledge of the layoffs confirmed camera operators Jim Lenton and Bryon McLuckie lost their jobs. Journalist Megan Turcato will take on a different role. None of them could be reached for comment.
The three local layoffs were among the close to 80 announced by Corus-owned Global News from its operations across the country, according to The Canadian Press, which also reported Vancouver would lose 21 employees.
Unifor told The Canadian Press the layoffs affect camera operators, reporters, anchors, control room staff, make-up artists and other production crew in local news agencies.
The union’s national president Jerry Dias said the CRTC made it easier for large media companies to layoff staff by weakening the obligations for them to protect local news.
— This story has been corrected. It incorrectly stated that Megan Turcato was laid off instead of a change of roles. It also incorrectly stated that Blaine Gaffney had been laid off.
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