ABC staff walk off the job

ABC staff have walked off the job for the first time in 17 years, despite workers being offered an 11 per cent pay rise over three years.

During an announcement on ABC Radio Sydney, the host said:  ‘Industrial action being taken by ABC staff at the moment. It may impact some of your regular programs throughout the day.’

The national broadcaster receives more than $1 billion in government funding every year.

Taxpayers have taken to social media to express their anger over the strike.

‘Let the ABC strike indefinitely and then sack the lot of them. We would save a lot of taxpayers money and lose absolutely nothing.’

Pictured is ABC headquarters in Ultimo, Sydney

On Tuesday night, journalists’ union MEAA abandoned planned industrial action by 1000 staff after ABC management agreed to draft a new workplace agreement. 

But broadcast workers in the Community and Public Sector Union said they were still proceeding with the walkout in protest at the way management had handled talks.

‘For the CPSU, [it] is about showing management at the ABC that our members are angered by disrespect they have been shown,’ said CPSU’s Sinddy Ealy. 

‘ABC management cannot throw CPSU members off their course of action, now or ever.’

Hundreds of CPSU staff in the ABC’s technology and control systems are believed to walking off the job between 7am and 3pm.

It’s the first time ABC staff have taken strike action since 2006 when management had to step in to produce and present news bulletins.

The MEAA  said they cancelled their strike action after ABC managing director David Anderson stepped in to take charges of the talks and try to reach a compromise.

‘Clearly, the threat of industrial action has helped to focus ABC’s management’s mind, as has the outpouring of support for our members from ABC viewers and listeners,’ said media director Cassie Derrick.

‘It was a turning point to have David Anderson directly involved in negotiations after management stonewalled for months. 

‘ABC management now must begin to rebuild trust with its workforce.’

An email from Mr Anderson to his staff