The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Canada's largest broadcaster, locked out about 5,500 employees early Monday after failing to reach a deal over a labor dispute with its union.

The workers have been without a contract for more than a year. In negotiating a new contract, the Toronto-based CBC said it needs more flexibility to hire new staff on a contract basis instead of full-time.

But the Canadian Media Guild (CMG), which represents producers, newsroom staff and technicians, said 30 percent of the CBC's workforce is already non-permanent, giving the network all the flexibility it needs.

Last month, CMG members voted 87.3 percent in favour of giving their negotiating team a strike mandate. The employees have been without a contract since the end of March 2004. Negotiations for a new contract began in May 2004.

As a result of the lockout, programming on all CBC services -- radio, television and online -- will be scaled back. Management says some important football and hockey games will continue, but possibly without any play-by-play commentary.

Local radio morning shows will be replaced by a single national broadcast. TV newscasts will be pared down, and there will be more acquired programming and movies.

The broadcaster's last major dispute was late in 2001, when technical staff were locked out across the country.

Source: Xinhua