- The Guardian
- Issue #2173
ABC offer ‘insulting’
Staff at the ABC have voted to reject management’s insulting enterprise agreement offer, which sought to undermine previous wins, threaten to stall careers, and worsen job insecurity.
Members of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA)at the ABC are not only fighting for fair pay and conditions but for the future of the national broadcaster.
MEAA Chief Executive Erin Madeley said staff would not stand by and accept the ongoing mismanagement of the ABC.
“Australians deserve for our ABC to be run in the interest of the public, not in the interests of a select few,” Madeley said.
“For that to happen, journalists and content makers need secure jobs and sustainable careers, in both regional and metro areas. Management’s backwards offer attempted to cut job security and access to career progression.
“It also ignored staff calls for ethical and accountable use of AI in the workplace, respect for the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics, and an audit into racial and disability pay gaps.
“We applaud the brave and principled MEAA members at the ABC, who will not back down in their fight for workers’ rights, journalism and a sustainable national broadcaster.”
The ABC MEAA House Committee said: “Instead of respecting the needs of staff who are dedicated to serving their audiences, ABC management tried to bypass their union representatives at the bargaining table and force through cuts to conditions and pay that won’t keep up with inflation.
“Over the past two years, ABC management has wasted millions of dollars on a failed defence of its illegal termination of an employee due to her political opinions, and it continues to act in contravention of the Fair Work Act in relation to its abuse of rolling, short-term fixed contracts.
“It’s time for management to get its priorities right and commit to proper good faith bargaining with its staff in the interest of the Australian public.”
PARASITE OF THE WEEK: the Albanese government and its failure to commit at COP30 in Brazil. The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed Australia signing the Belém Declaration to Transition from Fossil Fuels, but says when it came to securing a strong formal agreement decision at COP30, Australia was missing in action.
Despite the lack of a formal COP30 outcome on fossil fuels and deforestation as the summit concluded in Brazil, ACF welcomed the Brazilian Presidency’s commitment to deliver roadmaps for both by the next COP.
“We welcome the Albanese government’s decision to join dozens of countries to sign the Belém Declaration on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels,” said ACF’s climate and energy program manager Gavan McFadzean from COP30 in Brazil.
“The declaration is a commitment to transition energy systems and exports from fossil fuels to renewable energy in a just and equitable way, and for wealthy countries to assist developing countries to bypass fossil fuels and adopt renewable energy as their economies develop and energy needs increase.
“When leadership was needed in the final days to stand with Brazil to deliver strong language for a fossil fuel phase out as part of the formal COP30 decision, Australia sat on its hands.
“With a lead negotiation role secured for COP31, Australia needs to show stronger leadership than this.
“Signing the declaration alongside the formal negotiations is significant, but it’s disappointing Australia didn’t advocate publicly for a fossil fuel phase out in the formal COP30 decision. When countries needed to stand up for global climate ambition, Australia watched on as the decision was weakened.
“Pacific nations and vulnerable communities in Australia, already reeling from climate fuelled extreme weather, need the Albanese government to lead on climate action when it matters, not go MIA in the final days of negotiations.”
