Journalists at some of Australia’s biggest newspapers have begun a five-day strike over pay.
It comes after the union and the network failed to agree on a pay rise after several months of negotiating.
The strike will see the majority of journalists walk off the job a day before the 2024 Olympics opening Ceremony, including staff in Paris.
Nine has exclusive broadcasting rights to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, meaning it’s the only Australian channel to run the Games.
Pay disputes
The Media, Entertainment and Media Alliance (MEAA) is the industry union for journalists. It can represent news workers in pay negotiations with employers.
The union says Nine journalists have asked for a “modest” pay rise to keep up with cost of living pressures.
“Journalists at Nine Publishing are being asked to do more for less… It’s totally unacceptable that the company is asking workers to make a choice between a modest pay rise and the possibility of more job cuts,” MEAA Acting Director Michelle Rae said.
Job cuts
The escalation comes amid recent job cuts across the network’s newsrooms, with at least 70 job redundancies announced so far.
Nine attributed the job losses to the end of a lucrative deal with Meta after the tech giant refused to renew a deal that paid some Australian news organisations for digital content.
Rae said the Australian public “relies on these journalists to keep them informed” but that they “cannot do it without safe and secure jobs“.
“It is extra galling to our members that while they are attempting to negotiate a new enterprise agreement and dealing with the stress of redundancies in an Australian winter, managing director Mike Sneesby is enjoying sunny France as he takes part in the Olympic torch relay.”
MEAA Acting Director Michelle Rae
Nine management
Nine has reportedly defended its latest pay negotiations proposal, saying it was a “fair and reasonable offer”.
“Nine recognises the rights of unions to take industrial action but believes that a return to the negotiating table is the best way to progress [negotiations],” a company spokesperson told media.
TDA has contacted Nine Network for comment.
