ABC pay dispute ends as staff accept latest enterprise agreement
ABC staff have agreed a corporate deal with the broadcaster, ending a pay dispute that resulted in a 24-hour strike.
Two unions representing ABC staff – the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) – said more than 90 per cent of participating staff voted for a 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years and backdated pay to October 2025.
70.6 percent of the staff participated in the voting.
ABC chief executive Hugh Marks said the broadcaster was positioned to move forward with confidence over the next few years.
“This represents an opportunity for the organization to work more effectively across management, staff and staff representatives, including unions, with an aligned approach to the ABC of the future – a united and forward-looking organization focused on serving all Australians,” he said in a statement.
Staff at the ABC Ultimo Center in Sydney were among those who quit in March. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said the decisive yes vote reflected the determination and unity of ABC workers across the country.
“This is a tremendous victory for ABC staff who stood together and took bold action to protect their livelihoods, their jobs and the future of public broadcasting,” Ms Madeley said.
“By stepping back, workers have demonstrated how central they are to the ABC and the quality independent journalism Australians rely on every day.
“These results are important not only for workers, but also for the public.
“Safe, experienced and diverse staff are essential for an ABC serving communities across Australia, particularly in regional areas.”
Jocelyn Gammie, secretary of the CPSU ABC division, said the agreement was “a significant achievement resulting from the 24-hour strike.”
“ABC staff do important work keeping Australians up to date on breaking news and creating engaging content. They inform and educate, and it’s only fair that we give them proper recognition,” he said in a statement.
The updated enterprise agreement proposal made new provisions to see staff progress through pay ranges, ensuring pay was increased above inflation for the first year of the three-year deal.
Unions claimed that the 3.5 percent offer given for the first year was insufficient because it was below inflation.
Clauses protecting journalists’ jobs from artificial intelligence are not addressed in the final proposal.
More than 1,000 journalists and staff walked out for 24 hours on March 25 after a vote rejecting the initial proposal.
The strike was the first strike at ABC in 20 years.
This led to Mr Marks apologizing to viewers and resulted in the ABC broadcasting BBC content, reruns and statements from members of the federal parliament to fill the gap.
The nightly news bulletins and flagship current affairs program did not go on air at 7.30pm.
Fair Work Commission steps in
The revised offer was made to staff on March 31 following a session with Mr Marks and union representatives, mediated by the Fair Work Commission.
The accepted offer withdrew the previously offered $1,000 bonus but increased the salary increase to 4 percent in the first year and 3.25 percent in the next two years.
Mr Marks had previously argued that the 10 per cent increase over three years was fiscally responsible and competitive with industry standards.
Hugh Marks apologized to viewers for the 24-hour strike. (ABC News: Jack Ailwood)
The morning after the 24-hour strike, he told ABC Radio that the pay rise offered by unions was “unmanageable”.
“I think both sides need to say, ‘You know what, the audience comes first and we need to stop playing games and focus on that and get to a conclusion,'” he said.
MEAA executive vice president Adam Portelli later called the gaming accusation “insulting.”
“This is truly an insult to ABC staff and disrespectful of the role they provide to the Australian community,” he told ABC Radio.
“ABC staff don’t think this is a hoax… they are in this position because after nine months of negotiations they felt they had no choice.”
Ms Madeley said the approved deal sent a “strong message that Australians value the ABC” and thanked the public for supporting the campaign.
