ABC staff to strike for first time in 20 years with widespread news disruption expected | Australian Broadcasting Corporation
More than 75 per cent of ABC staff will leave jobs on Wednesday for the first time in 20 years, leading to severe cuts to the public broadcaster’s 24-hour news services.
Without producers, camera operators and directors, it is almost impossible to broadcast programmes, including prime time current affairs flagship 7.30pm.
The protected industrial action covers staff of journalists’ Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and non-journalists’ Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).
Both unions called on staff to reject the draft agreement, which provides for a total salary increase of 10 percent over three years (3.5 percent in the first year, 3.25 percent in the second and third years).
Unions argued the offer was too low and failed to address concerns about the staff assessment process, career progression, night shift penalty rates and reproductive health leave.
Sixty per cent of ABC staff (both journalists and non-journalists) voted no on Sunday on the revised enterprise agreement, which included further sweetening a one-off $1,000 payment that excluded casual staff.
75% of the total workforce participated in the voting.
Staff will be off work for 24 hours starting at 11:00 on Wednesday.
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The ABC’s total national audience reach across television, radio and online is predicted to be 65% of the Australian population in 2023. 2022-23 annual reportThis meant that widespread disruption was expected.
ABC staff last went on strike in 2006; industrial action had led to major disruptions to TV and radio services.
Then radio manager Sue Howard read local traffic and weather reports, and Radio National and NewsRadio carried BBC programmes.
MEAA said exemptions are in place to ensure emergency broadcasts continue as former Tropical Cyclone Narelle continues its path across the northwest of the country.
Journalist Paige Cockburn, who has worked at the ABC for 10 years, shared on Instagram that she is proud to be working for the broadcaster but is currently only working until the end of June.
“I have a temporary contract at ABC that I was forced to accept in order to further my career. Pretty backwards, isn’t it? I won’t be starting to get paid,” he wrote.
“Management played very dirty in the negotiations and they don’t think we deserve a salary in line with inflation (even though they give them huge bonuses). They don’t even give any assurance that AI won’t take over our jobs.”
We say, “Enough is enough.”
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Jocelyn Gammie, secretary of the CPSU’s ABC division, said staff did not take the strike action lightly but were very disappointed.
“ABC staff work hard to deliver high-quality services to the Australian community,” Gammie said. “They deserve to be treated with respect and that means a fair wage offer and a fair deal.
“The last thing union members want to do is offend loyal ABC viewers by disrupting programming and services, but core bargaining demands remain unresolved. Disruptions are inevitable unless ABC puts a fair offer on the table.”
MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said members were standing up for “safe jobs, fair treatment and quality journalism”.
“ABC staff are taking this step because they want fair pay in line with the cost of living, real job security and working conditions that allow them to continue to serve the Australian people with integrity.”
Madeley said below-inflation pay results and continued precarious work threatened the future of public interest journalism.
Australia’s annual inflation rate in January was 3.8%; this rate was higher than the proposed salary increases in each year of the rejected offer.
“This isn’t just a workforce issue,” Madeley said. “When talented and experienced staff are laid off, communities lose their trusted local voice, particularly in regional Australia where the ABC is often the only local newsroom.”
In 2023, he narrowly avoided a strike following the intervention of then chief executive David Anderson, who came up with a better offer. His successor Hugh Marks will be hoping to achieve the same result.
ABC has been contacted for comment.
