Staff at Australia’s ABC to walk out in 24-hour strike as dispute talks collapse

Australian public broadcaster the ABC is facing strike action from staff this week following the collapse of months of negotiations about improved pay and employment conditions.

ABC staff were notified by their unions the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) that 60% of employees voted against a draft enterprise agreement, with 75% of employees participating. The ABC has a workforce of about 4,500.

The new offer, following months of discussions, offered a 10% pay rise over three years in addition to a one-off A$1,000 (US$696) bonus.

The MEAA said ABC management’s offer provided “below-inflation wages, ongoing job insecurity and growing workloads. These conditions threaten not only their livelihoods, but the quality of the news and programming Australians rely on. That’s why ABC staff are standing together and taking strike action.”

The impasse will result in many ABC staff engaging in a 24-hour strike from Wednesday March 25.

The MEAA has called on ABC management to put forward an offer that “reflects the value of ABC staff and protects the future of Australia’s public broadcaster.”

“The fact that so many union members have taken this step demonstrates how frustrated they are at this process. ABC staff work hard to provide high-quality services for the Australian community. They deserve to be treated with respect and that means a decent pay offer and fair agreement,” said CPSU-ABC section secretary Jocelyn Gammie.

The last time ABC employment issues escalated to strike action was 20 years ago, when a nationwide 24-hour stoppage was called in 2006.

“The last thing union members want to do is inconvenience loyal ABC audiences by disrupting programming and services, but key bargaining claims remain unresolved. Unless the ABC puts a fair offer on the table, disruptions are inevitable,” Gammie added.

The ABC maintains that the revised offer was “sustainable and financially responsible.”

ABC MD Hugh Marks said: “No one has provided any evidence to me to suggest ABC staff are paid less than industry standards. In addition, the leave provisions ABC staff receive are generally more generous than many other major workplaces.”