EdSun $ hikes?

A union drive launched at the profitable Edmonton Sun following cutbacks early last year was abandoned in September when CEP failed to attract sufficient employee support.

E-mail to TSF out of Edmonton has been minimal since last fall, but this e-mail received yesterday mentions more cash coming from Sun Media/Quebecor. It reads:

"Hello,

You might be interested to know the Sun has been slightly generous in Edmonton lately. After announcing everyone was getting 4% raises, they handed out our profit-sharing notices the other day. I don't know what others are getting, but it sure beats the 2% and tiny profit-sharing bonus last year.

And, they bumped up our mileage rates quite a bit last year. So, it seems Quebecor is loosening the belt a bit. The profit-sharing notices indicated the amounts were only for Edmonton, so I don't know what's happening at the other papers.

A Sun employee"

If the wage and mileage hikes mentioned in the e-mail are accurate, will that affect ongoing Toronto Sun negotiations for a second contract? SONG's contract renewals late in 2007 were in the 2% per year range. (Union members do not receive profit sharing.)

And if accurate, the unexpected "give" at the Edmonton Sun is another positive sign that Sun Media chief Mike Sifton is taking care of cutback-weary employees.