ABC staff vote ‘No’ to latest enterprise agreement offer, triggering strike action
ABC journalists and staff will go on strike this Wednesday after 60 per cent voted against the broadcaster’s latest pay offer.
Staff were informed this morning that the majority of ABC employees voted against the enterprise agreement (EA) proposal.
ABC has about 4,500 employees, and 75.6 percent voted for the proposal.
While 60 percent of the personnel who participated in the voting voted “No”, 40 percent voted “Yes”.
Staff were told the proposal was 395 votes short of the number needed to pass.
When staff first voted for EA in November, the result was 238 votes short of a majority.
The result of the final vote triggered a 24-hour protected strike starting at 11am on Wednesday.
The revised offer for staff included a pay increase of 3.5 percent for the first year and 3.25 percent for the next two years.
Australia’s annual inflation rate was 3.8 percent in January.
The offer also included a $1,000 bonus for all ongoing and fixed-term staff under the EA.
ABC chief executive Hugh Marks said he believed the pay offer was “both sustainable and fiscally responsible”.
“I believe in the revised proposal in which we ask staff to vote on fairness to our staff, appropriately balanced against the ABC’s ability to continue to invest in content and services for the benefit of our viewers,” he said.
“I would like to discuss the main issues raised by union representatives and of course note that each member of staff will have their own reasons to support their vote.”
Marks added that “no one has provided me with any evidence to suggest that ABC staff are paid less than industry standards.”
“I believe the pay offer reflects the maximum the ABC can sustainably deliver and is balanced looking at all the factors we need to take into account,” he said.
Disruptions ‘inevitable’ without fair bidding, union says
There are two unions representing staff at the ABC: the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA).
Michael Slezak, co-chairman of the ABC MEAA National Assembly Committee and head of MEAA media, said staff could not accept the agreement.
“ABC staff need quality jobs to produce the quality news and entertainment Australians trust.”
he said.
“We cannot accept a deal that cuts conditions, pushes wages back against inflation and refuses to rule out replacing ABC journalists with AI bots.”
Jocelyn Gammie, secretary of the CPSU ABC Division, said disruptions were “inevitable” unless the ABC put a fair offer on the table.
“CPSU members do not vote lightly for strike action,” he said.
“The fact that so many union members took this step shows how uncomfortable they are with this process.
“The last thing union members want to do is upset loyal ABC viewers by disrupting programming and services, but key bargaining demands remain unresolved.”
The ABC will now appeal to the Fair Work Commission to help resolve the bargaining agreement.
