Both CBC and MacLeans are reporting that Canwest is looking to hire journalism students in case of a strike or lockout at the Montreal Gazette.

The Montreal Media Guild, which represents Montreal Gazette employees in editorial, advertising and reader sales, voted to strike in September.

According to the CBC:

CBC News has learned that several students were approached with offers to work for the news service on a fill-in basis, in case Gazette editorial, advertising and sales staff decides to execute their strike mandate.

Canwest has not denied making offers to students but its News Service editor-in-chief Gerry insisted it had nothing to do with the labour dispute at the Montreal Gazette.

The head of Concordia’s Department of Journalism, Mike Gasher, e-mailed students to express his concerns:

While that decision is ultimately up to you, I would caution you to think very carefully about accepting such an offer as it is a form of scab labour.  Not only could it harm your reputation and the reputation of our department within the journalistic community, it interferes with the ongoing collective bargaining process between Gazette journalists and their employer.