Nine Publishing staff to vote on protected industrial action as pay fight heats up

The MEAA has lodged an application that could see Nine’s publishing staff go on strike for the first time since 2017.

Staff at The Age walked out in protest at job cuts at Fairfax in 2017.

Journalist at Nine Entertainment newspapers are one step closer to striking after union members lodged an application with the Fair Work Ombudsman for a protected action ballot on Friday.

The move would see staff at Nine Publishing vote on whether to pursue protected industrial action, which could include a strike, as a fight with management over pay heats up.

Nine Publishing is at loggerheads with its staff and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance over a pay and conditions deal.

The MEAA is seeking a three year deal, with a stepped down pay proposal that would see staff earning less than $186,000 given a 5.5 per cent pay bump this year, followed by 5 per cent and 4.5 per cent over the next two years.

Staff earning more than $186,000 would get a 4.5 per cent pay rise this year, followed by 4 per cent over the next two years.

The deal covers staff at The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, WA Today and the Brisbane Times, with earlier proposals from the MEAA to include Pedestrian staff turned down by management.

Nine management has now dialled back its offer to a one year pay deal to lapse in June 2023, offering staff a 3.5 per cent pay bump for staff earning less than $170,000 as well as a 0.5 per cent lift to superannuation.

Staff on an annual salary of more than $170,000 would see a 3 per cent pay rise instead.

As part of the proposed deal, Nine’s merit pool would be expanded to cover staff who earn up from $170,000. However, Nine’s pay offer is dependent on the papers meeting audience and subscriber growth targets and members agreeing to changes in the way bonuses are doled out.

Nine has also looked to soothe tempers by offering all staff a $1750 recognition bonus, in a move the company’s managing director of publishing, James Chessell, told staff was “not tied to the EBA negotiations”.

There is concern from some in management that any deal offered to Nine’s publishing arm would need to be passed on to its TV division. Nine’s broadcast arm is not covered under an enterprise bargaining agreement.

If Nine union members decide to strike, it would be the first time since Fairfax journalists walked off the job in 2017 for a week amid cuts to 125 editorial jobs.

Fairfax filled much of its pages with copy from the AAP wire service during that period. Nine in May inked a six month trial deal to bring back AAP copy after having earlier cancelled its arrangement with the service.

MEAA Media director Adam Portelli said Nine management’s offer to staff “still falls short of expectations”. “Nine has received millions of dollars from Google and Facebook through the News Media Bargaining Code and must share that windfall with the journalists who are essential to the company’s publishing business,” he said. “We invite management to revise its position and come back with a more favourable offer that addresses staff concerns.”