Union drama hits Ramsay Street
Production staff on Neighbours have voted to take industrial action for the first time in 25 years.
- Published by David Knox
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Production staff working on Neighbours have voted to take industrial action for the first time in 25 years.
More than 90 per cent of votes were in favour of protected industrial action, following stalled negotiations between the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and Fremantle Media for an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA).
MEAA’s Victorian branch secretary Louise Connor said: “These negotiations have been dragging on for 12 months and in all that time producers have refused to offer basic entitlements such as a reasonable pay rise and security of employment. They are also proposing to cut sick pay.
“We remain ready and willing to continue negotiations but crew are not going stand by any longer while their reasonable and modest requests are ignored.”
A Spokesperson from FremantleMedia Australia said in a statement it was disappointed with the events.
“FMA is committed to a fair and reasonable Enterprise Agreement that provides pay and conditions that are significantly better than the Award and provides for the sustainable future of Neighbours,” they said.
“FMA will not agree to the further pay and conditions demanded by the MEAA that would be an unprecedented departure from industry convention and practice.”
Actors Equity director Sue McCreadie said cast were in full support of an EBA for crew.
“Crew are absolutely vital to the production of Neighbours. Without them the show would not exist. They have the full support of the union and their actor colleagues,” she said.
“MEAA and our members did not take the decision to seek an order authorising protected industrial action lightly as a union, we never do.
“The fact is, the meetings were stalled, there was no movement on our important claims and crew have been disappointed and frustrated. We want to see conditions not only maintained but improved.”
FremantleMedia indicated of around 110 production staff, 30 union members voted in favour of action.
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4 Responses
The Television Industry is full of job insecurity. Many people are willing to forgo pay rises and entitlements in order to obtain/retain opportunities within it. The production companies know this.
This is why I and many others have left the industry to work in other fields.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all doom and gloom behind the scenes, it’s just a hard place to negotiate in.
I wish the Neighbors Crew the best of luck with their EBA.
@Tracey B Neighbours would do better in the ratings than the 6pm Modern Family repeats on Ten. Oh wait, Neighbours already does.
In the wake of Fairfax, this is a shame, though the two situations seem to be different as nobody is being sacked at Neighbours (if I read correct).
@JennyW I agree. It should be on the main channel. The show has found its feet again and the ratings seem to be holding after years of being a bad news story on this site and others. It can still be a bit silly but as soap goes, its pretty darn good.
Why don’t the production staff march down to Ten’s offices and beg them to put the show back on the main channel. It’s sad that Neighbours have become the forgotten show on Australian television especially at the Logies.