Deal brokered to end ABC staff’s pay stand-off
ABC management and staff representatives have reached a tentative agreement following a dispute that resulted in the first major strike at the national broadcaster in decades.
ABC management said in a staff email seen by AAP that agreement had been reached for a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year, followed by a double increase of 3.25 per cent.
This is a slight increase from ABC’s previous offer of 3.5 percent in the first year.
However, the previously proposed $1,000 bonus was not included.
Employees at the highest levels of various groups will also have career advancement and additional bonus opportunities.
ABC said in a staff email that the position had been approved by representatives of two key employee unions.
The proposal will need to go to a staff vote to be officially adopted.
In a message to union members on Tuesday, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance offered a positive assessment of the potential deal.
“This important development was achieved by union members leaving the job and clearly showing what we value,” the message said.
“So now there is above-inflation pay on the table for the first year, real pathways for the group to progress, and a better reward for hard work.”
Non-media staff at the ABC are represented by the Community and Public Sector Alliance.
The deal comes after media union staff and representatives met with ABC chief executive Hugh Marks on Monday after large numbers of staff joined a mass strike.
Negotiations hit an impasse after workers rejected a 10 per cent wage increase over three years, demanding 13.5 per cent and protesting what they said was the ABC’s over-reliance on short-term contracts.
Monday’s meeting, mediated by the Fair Work Commission, was the first major discussion since the strike action.
Thousands of journalists, camera operators, technicians and other ABC staff went on strike for 24 hours from Wednesday morning, forcing the channel to broadcast reruns, clips from BBC News and contributions from non-union staff.
More than 4,400 people work at ABC; 2000 of them are in the largest section, news.
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