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ABC staff vote against deferring pay rise

ABC staff have voted against deferring a pay rise of 2%, approved earlier by the Fair Work Commission.

ABC staff have voted against deferring a pay rise of 2%, set to be enforced on October 1 as part of a new three year enterprise agreement, approved by the Fair Work Commission in January.

The Sydney Morning Herald claims sources said 80% of staff votes were against the deferral.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher wrote to the ABC in May asking employees to pause the pay rise in the context of large scale job losses across the economy as well as pay freezes in private sector media and the public service. SBS was also asked to consider a freeze on pay rises.

“We felt it would have been a fine gesture of solidarity with those across the media sector who have been doing it much tougher than the ABC,” Fletcher said. “It is evident from the results of today’s vote that ABC staff did not share this view.”

In early September ABC Board left the decision up to staff.  Chair Ita Buttrose asked staff to vote on the matter – which would deliver one-off savings of $5 million that would be diverted to emergency broadcasting.

Sinddy Ealy, the Community and Public Sector Union’s ABC secretary, said staff deserved a pay rise because of their performance during the bushfire and coronavirus crises.

“They’ve seen 220 of their colleagues lose their jobs because of the government’s funding cuts,” she said. “I don’t think anyone could say they haven’t endured their share of pain.”

ABC managing director David Anderson took a 5% pay cut from April until the end of September.

7 Responses

  1. Yes the still coddled and complaining dearies AKA the ABC staff proudly give the wider population the big middle finger.
    Meanwhile , out in the real world, jobs and businesses are being knocked down like ten pins and the worst is yet to come.
    Miss Buttrose, admit it , you must be aghast at your schoolyard minions trying this on in times like these…

  2. Sinddy Ealy [CPSU] said. “I don’t think anyone could say they haven’t endured share of pain.” … so when you add in the annual point increase, the average ABC staff member will have had increases totalling 20.6% between 2016 and 2020 (Source ABC Enterprise Agreement Band 4 Points 17-21) plus 15.4% super (compared to 9.5% for everyone else) … maybe everyone else could share in that “pain” …

  3. I didnt have a choice but to get the basic payrise this year.. and happily. All businesses are going through less fortunate times. This is a really poor look. Be thankful you have a job at this time. Especially a government one!

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