No solution in sight for N.S. workers owed thousands of dollars by former employer
Despite rulings in their favour from the Nova Scotia Labour Standards Division, two Halifax-area workers have not been paid the thousands of dollars in unpaid wages and other pay that have been deemed owed to them by their former employer. Andrew Lam has the story.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Higher cost, loss of over-the-air TV leave some Chicago sports fans frustrated with new CHSN-Comcast deal
When the Chicago Sports Network went live Oct. 1, it didn't have a deal to be carried by Comcast, the market's largest pay-TV provider. But it touted an old school solution – broadcasting the network over-the-air – as a way to reach new fans in Chicago. The great free-TV regional sports network experiment lasted eight months, a sudden demise that may be creating some static among Chicago viewers that bought into the antenna solution. The nascent sports network finally joined the Comcast lineup Friday, but on the higher-priced Ultimate tier, which costs an additional $20 per month, on top of the $20.25 regional sports network fee charged to Chicago-area subscribers each month. In the wake of the deal, CHSN abruptly pulled the plug Monday on local TV affiliates in Chicago, Rockford, Peoria, and Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana. 'We are excited by our recent announcement bringing CHSN to Comcast viewers across the Chicagoland area, and we have heard a great deal of enthusiastic support from those viewers,' a CHSN spokesperson said in an email. 'While we appreciate the frustration felt by OTA users in the impacted markets, we continue to make OTA available in certain areas outside of Chicagoland.' That leaves an untold number of fans who may have purchased an indoor antenna, a new receiver or even clambered up onto a roof to hook up an outdoor antenna, with a bunch of wires and a blank TV screen where the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks once beamed into their homes. Tom Hedstrom from Skokie, who said he's been a White Sox fan since 1952, is one of them. 'The worst thing about this deal was CHSN agreeing to pull the plug on OTA,' Hedstrom said in an email Monday. A Comcast subscriber whose older TV was not equipped to receive the digital over-the-air broadcasts, Hedstrom bought a new receiver – at CHSN's advice – to go with his antenna, and was able to receive the network within weeks of its October launch. But Hedstrom will now need to upgrade his Comcast subscription to continue watching CHSN 'As a result, it will cost me an additional $30 per month because I will need to change my TV service from 'Popular' to 'Ultimate' and pay the full RSN fee plus some additional tax,' Hedstrom said. 'Will I do it? Yes, but I'm unhappy about it.' Getting on Comcast, and potentially reaching its one million Chicago-area subscribers, was nonetheless crucial for CHSN. A joint venture between the Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks and Nashville, Tennessee-based Standard Media, CHSN went live Oct.1 on pay-TV platforms DirecTV and Astound, and over the air in Chicago and several other markets. It added streaming service FuboTV and its own direct-to-consumer app, but was unable to strike a deal with Comcast, the market's largest pay-TV provider. In Chicago, CHSN leased two digital subchannels of WJYS-Ch. 62, a full-powered UHF TV station licensed to Hammond, to broadcast the sports network in high-definition to anyone that could capture the signal with a TV antenna. About 15% of the 3.46 million homes in the Chicago market watch TV using an antenna, according to Nielsen. Beyond reception limitations, some viewers with older TVs needed to buy new receivers to get the picture, a problem CHSN addressed on its website. Prior to launching the network, Jason Coyle, president of Chicago Sports Network, told the Tribune the over-the-air platform was an integral part of the strategy to 'reimagine' regional sports networks amid cord cutting and declining pay-TV subscribers. But the over-the-air offering proved to be a stumbling block in negotiations with Comcast, which balked at paying carriage fees to CHSN for programming some viewers could get for free. Comcast also pushed for moving CHSN to its more expensive Ultimate tier, something it has done with other regional sports networks across the U.S. in recent months. The Marquee Sports Network, the pay-TV home of the Cubs, remains on the lower-priced basic tier, at least for now. CHSN went live Friday on Comcast Channel 200, where its predecessor NBC Sports Chicago, resided until last fall. For Comcast customers on the lower-priced basic plan, Channel 200 bears a message that CHSN requires a subscription upgrade to watch. Comcast declined to say how many Chicago-area customers currently subscribe to the Ultimate plan. 'We don't provide the percentage of customers on Ultimate but can confirm that many sports fans already subscribe to the Ultimate TV level of service because of its comprehensive sports channel lineup,' a Comcast spokesperson said in an email Monday. Going live on Comcast Friday may have already given CHSN a boost in ratings. Sources said Friday's primetime audience for the Sox-Royals game was up 66% over the previous week's Sox-Orioles broadcast, which was prior to Comcast joining the pay-TV lineup. Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports marketing consultant, said it was nonetheless unlikely that many subscribers will upgrade to the Ultimate plan amid another losing White Sox campaign, with the team sporting the worst record in the American League through 66 games. He said subscription upgrades will likely pick up when the teams do better. 'It will be one of those rare examples when the customers will speak very loudly with their purchases deciding when and whether they choose to pay up or not for the sports package upgrade,' Ganis said. While cheered by many, the new carriage deal has nonetheless created some static among Chicago sports fans, especially those who took the antenna plunge, and now are being asked to pay up to see CHSN on Comcast. Erin Blasko, a longtime Sox fan living in South Bend, watched CHSN over-the-air on the digital subchannel of local affiliate WHME-TV. 'I'm disappointed to learn CHSN is ending its OTA broadcasts,' Blasko said in an email. 'The Sox and other MLB teams should be expanding — not shrinking – opportunities for fans to watch games at all price levels.' While Comcast is available on the Ultimate tier in South Bend, Blasko, who hasn't subscribed to the cable provider 'in more than 15 years,' plans to sign up for the $19.99 per month CHSN streaming app to keep watching the Sox this season. Keith Williams, a Comcast Ultimate subscriber who lives in north suburban Lake Forest, bought a $70 amplified indoor antenna in September as a backup for when his cable service goes out. It ended up in the starting lineup, delivering CHSN amid the protracted Comcast blackout through the entire Bulls and Blackhawks seasons, and a chunk of the current White Sox season. While CHSN is now live on his cable plan, Williams said the cost to watch the regional sports network has risen enough for him to consider other pay-TV options. 'Sad though that Comcast forced them to take OTA service away from people … and especially away from people who will find $500 per year to be a substantial or overwhelming burden on their family budgets,' Williams said in an email. Meanwhile, David Perlman, a Comcast Ultimate subscriber in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, was never able to get the CHSN over-the-air broadcasts. He tried an old roof antenna, bought a new antenna and eventually gave up as both the Bulls and Hawks seasons slipped away. On Friday, CHSN magically appeared in his Comcast channel lineup. But Perlman said doesn't plan to tune in until the Bulls and Hawks return to action. 'Being a lifelong Cubs fan, I have no particular use now for their station until the fall, when next season begins for both teams,' Perlman said. rchannick@
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woodstock man gets 50 year sentence for family violence conviction
The Cherokee County District Attorney's Office announced that a man was facing a 50 year sentence after negotiating a plea in a family violence case. District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said that David Ray Graham, 38 of Woodstock, entered a negotiated plea to multiple charges on Thursday, taking a guilty plea for multiple charges related to a domestic violence assault. According to the DA's office, Graham faced eight charges stemming from a sheriff's office investigation in March 2024. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The DA's office said Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies went to Northside Cherokee Hospital after getting a report that a woman had been assaulted in a Woodstock home. While being treated for what the DA's office said were visible injuries, the victim told deputies that Graham had repeatedly punched and kicked her, threatened her with a machete and hammer and held her against her will in the home. TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta-area rapper sentenced for bringing stolen loaded 'machine gun' into hospital labor unit Another risk for strong to severe storms today Giant tree crashes into another, sends it toppling onto Cobb County rental home 'Evidence in this case showed that over the course of one terrifying night, this defendant subjected a woman to prolonged and brutal violence,' Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement. 'This was not an isolated incident. David Graham had abused this woman before, and this time he could have killed her. Even after his arrest, he continued the cycle of abuse by calling from jail to threaten her and pressure her to recant. This sentence holds him accountable and brings justice for the fear and harm he inflicted.' Graham was charged with: 2 counts family violence aggravated assault False imprisonment 3 counts family violence battery Influencing a witness Terroristic threats The DA's office said Graham was sentenced to 50 years, with 20 in prison and the remaining 30 on probation. Graham's probation has special conditions, including no contact of any kind with the victim, he must participate in a family violence intervention program, be evaluated and treated for mental health and substance abuse and must forfeit all of his weapons. 'Domestic violence threatens the safety of all citizens and has no place in our community. For this reason, we remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for all who are affected,' Treadaway said. 'We commend the Cherokee Sheriff's Office and the staff at Northside Cherokee Hospital for their compassionate response to protect and support the woman assaulted by this defendant.' For those who know someone affected by domestic violence, or who are being affected and are in need of support, there is a 24/7 crisis hotline at 770-479-1703. In an emergency, call 911. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Boy, 12, Accidentally Drowns After Falling into Lake with His Younger Brother
A 12-year-old boy died after he fell into Camp Bullfrog Lake in Willow Springs, Ill. on Friday, June 6 The child was with his 9-year-old brother when the incident occurred, according to local reports The Cook County Medical Examiner's office confirmed to PEOPLE that the victim was identified as Asael Gonzalez-GuelA 12-year-old boy died after falling into a Chicago-area lake with his brother. Authorities said the boy and his 9-year-old brother were at Camp Bullfrog Lake in Willow Springs, Ill. on Friday, June 6, when they slipped into the water, according to NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV and FOX affiliate WFLD. A group of people who were fishing at the lake helped pull the younger boy to safety, WFLD and ABC affiliate WLS-TV reported. A dive team with the North Palos Fire Department and Water Rescue Team removed the older child, who was unresponsive, from the lake just before 7:45 p.m. local time, according to reports. Authorities said the child was transported to Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 8:30 p.m., according to the reports. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirms to PEOPLE that the victim was identified as Neri Asael Gonzalez-Guel. His cause of death was ruled an accidental drowning. The Forest Preserves of Cook County did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Camp Bullfrog Lake is 16 acres in size and and 9.9-ft. deep, according to the Forest Preserves of Cook County's website. Willow Springs, a suburb of Chicago, is located about 20 miles away from the city. Read the original article on People
