ACTRA takes lockout fight to CLC Convention

Eleanor Noble

Talk about getting put on the spot.

This past May, a small but mighty delegation of ACTRA members attended the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) Constitutional Convention in Montreal.

We took ACTRA’s year-long battle to end the National Commercial Agreement (NCA) lockout, illegally imposed on ACTRA members by the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), to Canada’s broader labour movement. Our goal: to build support for our boycott of union busting brands.

During a hotly contested vote on an entirely different issue, CLC President Bea Bruske ordered the doors locked so delegates could not leave before all votes were counted. The room fell quiet. With time to kill while we waited for the results, suddenly I heard Bea say over the loudspeaker to the crowd, “Perhaps our friend Eleanor from ACTRA will get up and give us a little update on the lockout?” I quickly realized, “That’s me!” Natalie Clancy, ACTRA’s Director of Public Affairs and Communications, shoved our boycott poster into my hand and before I knew it, my face was being broadcast across giant screens in the packed convention hall. I now had the undivided attention of more than 2,000 labour leaders who represent three million workers from across Canada. No pressure.

I did what any ACTRA member would have done.
I told our story.

I spoke plainly of how this sinister lockout is the ICA’s attempt to bust our union. To bring it home.

I did what any ACTRA member would have done. I told our story. I explained how we have been unfairly and illegally locked out by advertising agencies for more than a year now. Shouts of “shame!” echoed through the hall. I shared that, as a result of the lockout, thousands of our members are struggling to pay mortgages and provide for their families. I spoke plainly of how this sinister lockout is the ICA’s attempt to bust our union. To bring it home, I reminded them about Gary, the “Canadian Tire guy,” who hasn’t been seen on TV in over a year. I insisted we need to bring Gary back! We need to bring everyone back! At that moment, I asked every delegate in the room to help us. I held up the poster with the QR code to our boycott campaign. I got them to sign and send our boycott letters to the brands working with advertising agencies that have locked out ACTRA members.

Watch this new mini documentary about what happened at the CLC Convention:

As I returned to my seat, everyone spontaneously and loudly chanted: “Bring Gary Back! Bring Gary Back!”

The overwhelming strength and power from the room is the kind of support ACTRA needs to end this lockout.

“You could feel that every union member in the room was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us to help us.” – Keith Martin Gordey

Just ask Keith Martin Gordey, ACTRA National Vice President. “You could feel that every union member in the room was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us to help us get out of the lockout. You could feel that there’s a room of 2,000 people who really care.”

“Goosebumps” is how ACTRA Toronto President David Gale described the moment. “Getting the power of the entire congress behind us, understanding what we need and being there for us meant a lot, and knowing those leaders in that room will take our plight to the three million workers they represent was heartening.”

“Goosebumps… knowing leaders in that room will take our plight to the three million workers they represent was heartening.” – David Gale

ACTRA Alberta President Blair Young knows an improv performance when he sees one. “I was nervous for her, but she got up there, loud and proud,” he told our group later that day.

“Eleanor managed to create a surge to our boycott page with hundreds of people logging on at that moment to join our boycott.”

It was a big moment for our relatively small delegation. And we certainly made our presence known by taking advantage of every opportunity availed to us.

“Our mission is to tell the story. We’re under siege … we’re looking for support.” – Broadus Mattison

“Our mission is just to tell the story. We’re under siege right now with this lockout and … we’re looking for support,” explained Broadus Mattison, UBCP/ACTRA Executive Board Director. He was “moved to tears” after spending the week having one-on-one conversations with delegates from other unions who were vowing to boycott Wendy’s, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, Sleep Country, Rogers, or H&R Block until the lockout ends.

“A lot of people that hadn’t heard about it – all of a sudden, they understood our fight.” – Chris Cuthbertson

“This was the morale boost we needed,” said Chris Cuthbertson, ACTRA Maritimes President. “A lot of people that hadn’t heard about it – or didn’t really understand it – all of a sudden, they understood our fight. They were clapping, they were supporting us.”

“Over 2,000 people here representing over three million workers, are now supporting us. They’re taking it back to their members, they’re promoting us on social media, they’re following us and our fight and it means a lot.”

“When people hear what’s going on in our world, they’re appalled and they’re angry at not only the ad agencies, but the brands that are using them,” said Marie Kelly, ACTRA National Executive Director.

We appreciated that even before the convention, the CLC Executive voted to endorse and share our boycott. After my impromptu pitch, the CLC went even further by delivering 2,200 bilingual posters promoting the boycott to every seat in the house.

That would not be ACTRA’s only moment in the spotlight.

“Over the past 14 months my income has just been gutted while these brands are making record profits.”
– Tavia Pereira

“End The Lockout Now! End The Lockout Now!” chanted our entire delegation from behind the mic. Following that moment, the CLC officially recognized ACTRA along with other unions facing a current strike or lockout across the country.

 “I’ve been repeatedly reminded that a union is only as strong as its members and its allies,” ACTRA Montreal’s Teneisha Collins told delegates. She and ACTRA Toronto member Tavia Pereira spoke passionately on behalf of all performers who are struggling during this shameful, ongoing dispute. “Over the past 14 months my income has just been gutted while these brands are making record profits,” said Pereira to loud, supportive shouts of “shame!”

“We need to let our members know that we are part of a much bigger labour movement,” said first-time CLC delegate Bob Mann from ACTRA Maritimes.

 “We all wish every member could have experienced what we felt in that room. We all wish every member could have joined us at the very front of the solidarity march we led through downtown Montreal.”

“What’s disgusting? Union busting!” yelled out Chris Small, an Amazon organizer and keynote speaker, as we joined all 2,000 CLC delegates loudly filling the streets in a demonstration march of solidarity while proudly waving our ACTRA flags.

“We are, as you would expect from actors, a pretty vocal group, so we have made sure that we have used that as our superpower this week.”
– Simon Peacock

“We are, as you would expect from actors, a pretty vocal group, so we have made sure that we have used that as our superpower this week,” said Simon Peacock, ACTRA Montreal President.

ACTRA members appeared in other significant roles at the convention.

ACTRA members appeared in other significant roles at the Convention as well. ACTRA Toronto member Jully Black opened the convention with her inspiring version of Solidarity Forever, which brought the entire house of labour to their feet singing in unison. Teneisha Collins was heard throughout the convention as the official voice for all announcements in both English and French. ACTRA Montreal’s Jennifer Roberts was an ASL interpreter and Jen Viens, ACTRA National Women’s Committee chair, hosted the CLC Women’s Forum.

In fact, we were exactly where we belong: Out front, loud and proud ACTRA performers and bona fide union activists.

Union solidarity and engagement are more important than ever. Please contact your branch for more information on how you may participate to help end the lockout.

In solidarity,

Eleanor Noble