Guardian Australia journalists consider striking following failed negotiations with management
Industrial action against Guardian Australia is looming as journalists apply for a protected action ballot.
Last month, Guardian Australia freelancers took to social media, calling for pay and conditions negotiations with the publisher.
However, following months of failed negotiations with management, employees are preparing to take action to “ensure the future of quality journalism and secure a sustainable future for the industry”.
The submission to the Fair Work Commission for a protected action ballot allows employees to vote on whether to strike.
It ensures that any industrial action taken complies with the Fair Work Act, shielding participants from legal repercussions.
On Tuesday evening, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), the trade union that represents the media industry, said members were preparing to take action.
MEAA acting Media Director Michelle Rae said lodging an application for protected industrial action is not something that members have done lightly.
“All journalists at Guardian Australia are asking for is career progression, a commitment to better workplace gender and cultural diversity, and job security,” she said.
“Both in-house and freelance journalists are standing together so they can continue to deliver to the public the quality journalism for which Guardian Australia has become known since it arrived in Australia a decade ago.”
Rae urged Guardian management to come to the table with an offer that satisfies members’ “modest demands”.
In June, Nine journalists conducted a five-day strike that coincided with the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics games after failing to reach an agreement with the network surrounding working conditions and compensation.
The action was launched, in part, as a response to news that Nine will axe between 70 and 90 roles from the publishing division, impacting the newsrooms of the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times, and WAtoday.
Mumbrella has contacted Guardian Australia for comment.
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