Newspapers journalists have launched a five day strike after rejecting an inferior pay offer from Nine.
They deemed the proposed offer as inadequate considering inflation rates and increasing cost of living. The offer by Nine management of 3.5% in the first year, 4% in the second year and 3% in the third year was rejected by the union.
As confirmed by the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), staff members at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times, and WAToday have walked off their jobs.
The strike begins on the eve of the Olympic games in Paris where Mike Sneesby, CEO of Nine is taking part in the Olympic torch relay while the staff is under stress because of redundancies and low pay rates.
The staff in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth, and those in Paris covering the Olympics, have ceased to work since Friday affecting the masthead coverage of the Olympic games.
Sneesby also sent an email to his staff, from Paris that read, “It goes without saying we’re profoundly disappointed by this decision as we have offered a new and improved agreement yesterday and were negotiating in good faith to a constructive outcome.” He expressed his intense disappointment in the incorporation of the staff during this crucial hour of Olympic games.
His mail goes on to read, “While we recognise the right of unions to take industrial action, [publishing managing director] Tory [Maguire] and I firmly believe a return to the negotiating table is the best pathway to progressing the EBA (enterprise bargaining agreement).”
Sneesby is currently staying in boutique hotel Le Pavillon de la Reine in Paris with his family which is repotably costing over $2500 a night. Sneesby was also included in a leg of the Olympic torch relay in the outskirts of Paris, a privilege given to him as the company holds rights to airing the games in Australia from 2024 to 2032.
In Nine’s latest cost cutting initiative, in total 200 jobs are expected to be made redundant, 90 of which were to affect the newspaper division. Sneesby was overseas in Greece when these redundancies were being announced.
On the other hand, journalists and staff members are rallying outside their offices while raising banners and wearing t-shirts reading “Don’t torch journalism” with a hand holding a torch. Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) has also begun a petition urging for management to meet the demands of Union members.
Journalists have also come forward on social media about their demands and to gather support for the “Don’t Torch Journalism” movement. Michael Bleby, Deputy Property Editor at The Australian Financial Review at Nine wrote on LinkedIn, “Journalism doesn’t have Nine lives: On strike at Nine Publishing for an above-CPI pay rise, transparency for staff and our audiences about AI use and clear commitment to boost diversity of our newsrooms. #donttorchjournalism.”
Chris Zappone, Digital Foreign Editor at The Age/Sydney Morning Herald has posted on LinkedIn, “I’m going on strike for secure jobs and to protect the public’s right to quality journalism. Nine Entertainment can do better for the journalists at The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, WAToday and Brisbane Times @withMEAA”
Another journalist at WAToday, Peter Milne posted, “Cutting journalism in response to declining ad revenue is a dumb business move by Nine. It has successfully invested in journalism to drive subscription revenue that supports continued quality news AND dividends for shareholders. Don’t damage this for a short-term cash flow sugar hit.”
The strike is ongoing but seems to have little impact on the executives who are more offended than moved by the financial crisis amid reporters.
