Speaking at a demonstration outside the headquarters in Sydney, Radio National presenter Fran Kelly said: ”Many colleagues are being forced to move to distant cities because their salaries have not kept up with the cost of living here. It is not fair to continue working on the same pay structure for decades.”
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More than 2,000 employees of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have gone on a 24-hour strike since Wednesday. The strike has affected ABC's television, radio and digital services.
According to international media outlet Reuters, the strike, which has been the first in two decades, has disrupted the ABC's regular news broadcasts. Instead of regular news bulletins and popular programs, content from the 'BBC World Service' and old programs have been broadcast. The strike has affected all radio news bulletins, including the ABC's flagship programs 'News Breakfast', '7pm News' and '7.30'.
Why did the strike happen?
The employees are protesting against low pay increases, job security and the possibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) to replace journalists. The protest was called by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).
Management had proposed a 10 per cent pay increase over three years. But both unions said it was insufficient compared to inflation. According to them, journalists and staff are under financial pressure amid rising living costs.
Speaking at a demonstration outside the headquarters in Sydney, Radio National presenter Fran Kelly said, "Many colleagues are forced to move to distant cities because their salaries have not increased to keep up with inflation. It is not fair to continue working on the same pay structure for decades."
Meanwhile, ABC managing director Hugh Marks has taken a strong stance on employee demands. He refuted claims that jobs are insecure, saying that more than 90 per cent of staff are permanent and their average tenure is more than 10 years. "Further increases in salaries will put pressure on the budget, which could lead to job cuts," he said.
