ABC proposes new pay offer to staff after 24-hour strike
The ABC has made a new pay offer to staff following last week’s 24-hour strike.
ABC chief executive Hugh Marks this week met with delegates from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) in a session brokered by the Fair Work Commission.
The broadcaster then presented an updated proposal on Tuesday, which includes new provisions that will see staff progress through pay bands.
The new offer also increased the salary in the first year of the three-year deal above inflation. Unions had argued that the previous offer was inadequate because it was below inflation.
Marks had previously defended his last rejected salary offer, which included a 3.5 percent salary increase in the first year and 3.25 percent over the next two years (10 percent over three years), as fiscally responsible and competitive with industry standards.
MEAA originally wanted annual wage increases to be 5.5 percent.
“The proposed deal includes annual pay increases of 4 per cent in the first year and 3.25 per cent in each of the second and third years, with back pay up to the first full pay period after October 1, 2025,” an ABC spokesperson said. he said.
“It also provides clearer progression pathways between salary ranges, targeted performance bonuses, retention of existing promotional provisions and increased leave entitlements.”
Michael Slezak, co-chair of the ABC MEAA National Assembly Committee and MEAA head of media, said the union will deliver the updated proposal to members ahead of a staff vote on Thursday.
“This [an offer] “The bargaining team thinks it is a good offer and we expect it to be approved,” he said.
“It doesn’t address everything we want, but it does address the core claims that MEAA is fighting for.
“We have come demanding structural problems be resolved. This includes the inability of journalists to move up pay bands, the abuse of short-term contracts at the ABC and the offer of a reasonable salary.
“There is still work to be done on progress and job security, but this is a start and, if approved, will deliver real improvement for ABC staff for years to come.”
He also praised ABC for “coming to the table”.
“It was a shame they didn’t come to the table with an offer that would have prevented strike action,” Mr. Slezak said.
“But after MEAA members took the bold and selfless step of forgoing a day’s pay and going on strike, we are pleased to see ABC come to the table with real action on the issues we care about.”
The ABC has around 4,500 employees and more than 1,000 journalists and staff left last week. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
Jocelyn Gammie, secretary of the CPSU’s ABC division, said the union would recommend the “newly developed proposal”.
“While the ABC’s revised position does not fully address every issue in our claim, there has been significant movement on key issues such as pay and progression,” he said.
“In our view, last week’s strongly supported strike action worked exactly as intended; ABC management listened and improved their position.
“Members should be extremely proud of the way they stood together and fought for what they deserve.”
Artificial intelligence items were excluded from the final bid
Other concerns, such as clauses protecting journalist jobs from artificial intelligence (AI), were not resolved in the final proposal.
Mr Slezak said it was “a shame that the ABC did not accept this” but that MEAA would continue to fight for these changes.
“This negotiation has gone on for so long that it will be back at the table in two years, and you can bet it will be on the agenda then,” he added.
A $1,000 bonus was offered in a previous bid, but that was withdrawn in Tuesday’s updated bid.
Last week’s strike action was the first for the ABC in two decades and lasted 24 hours.
More than 1,000 journalists and staff walked out, prompting ABC chief executive Hugh Marks to apologize to viewers.
This comes after 75.6 per cent of staff voted for an earlier Enterprise Agreement (EA). Sixty percent of the staff in attendance voted “No”; The total of 395 votes was less than the number needed to pass the proposal.
During the strike, the ABC broadcast BBC content, rebroadcasts and statements from members of the federal parliament to fill the gap.
Youth broadcaster Triple J switched to a pre-prepared music playlist as staff left the venue.
Nightly news bulletins and flagship current affairs program 7.30 were not broadcast on Wednesday evening and ABC News Breakfast was not broadcast on Thursday morning.
