ABC Staff to Strike Over Pay Dispute

ABC Staff to Stage 24-Hour Strike

Following a significant rejection of the ABC's latest pay offer, its employees have decided to go on a 24-hour strike starting Wednesday. The proposal, which included a 3.5% first-year salary increase and a $1,000 bonus for eligible staff, was opposed by 60% of voters in the recent ballot. This opposition has led to the protected strike action, with workers set to disrupt operations beginning at 11 am on Wednesday.

The ABC, which employs approximately 4,500 staff, faced a similar outcome in November when a previous offer also fell short of a majority approval. The latest vote showed that key bargaining claims remain unresolved, prompting the union's decision for strike action. Michael Slezak from MEAA emphasized the importance of quality jobs to maintain high-quality news production, while CPSU's Jocelyn Gammie noted the frustration among members and their preference for avoiding disruptions but highlighted the inevitability of this step due to unresolved issues.