Dispute over ABC TV restructure

Dispute over ABC TV restructure

By Kath Gelber

SYDNEY — ABC TV technical staff have been involved in an ongoing dispute over restructuring as federal government budget cuts begin to take effect.

In a bid to restructure ABC TV and radio into "One ABC", the technical services division at TV is attempting to change its staff structure from broadcast engineering officers to technical services officers, in line with the structure in place in radio.

In implementing the transition, management at TV offered technical staff a restructuring package which involves an average 1.6% pay increase, but gives some staff a 2% pay increase and others only 0.3%.

Staff rejected the offer, and put in a claim for an average 2.4%, which would ensure more equitable pay increases. ABC TV management have rejected this, claiming 2.4% (only 0.8% higher than their proposal) is too high.

Due to management's intransigence, TV technical staff have been calling lightning strikes. These actions, called without warning and lasting only a few hours, are designed to put popular programs such as Lateline or live broadcasts off air.

From GLW issue 295