ABC could use Middle East crisis to order striking staff back

ABC managing director Hugh Marks could use an escalation in the Middle East conflict or fuel crisis to demand staff return to work during a landmark strike beginning at 11am on Wednesday after he widened the definition of “emergency broadcasting” at the public media corporation.

Marks made the admission on ABC Radio Sydney on Wednesday morning, less than two hours before staff are expected to walk out of ABC offices across the country. Under the ABC’s pay agreement with staff, emergency broadcasting is excluded from industrial action, but that has traditionally referred to natural disasters in Australia rather than major news events abroad.

“Yesterday, I made the decision to change the definition of what is emergency broadcasting. I changed it from this notion that it only applies to fires, floods or cyclones or natural events,” Marks said on Wednesday morning.

“It’s important if there is a matter of national or international importance that happens while the staff are on strike, that we’re able to call staff in and say, ‘this is a matter that warrants you coming back into the office, breaking that strike action and serving the audience to share that information and that news with them’.”

Pressed by Mornings host Hamish Macdonald whether he was referring to the ongoing fuel crisis and several wars in the Middle East, Marks said it “depends upon how those matters progress”.

“It is not a great time for our team to be out. There are a lot of things happening in the world,” Marks said.

Cassie Derrick of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance union said if Marks wants his workforce to provide quality news on matters on national and international importance, he needs to provide quality jobs.

“Our members take their obligations to public safety very seriously, but they won’t be taken for a ride,” Derrick said.

The ABC has also declared it would ask the Fair Work Commission, which oversees industrial issues in Australia, to step in to help resolve the pay dispute.

Macdonald confirmed there would be no 7pm news bulletins on the ABC’s main channel on Wednesday evening with thousands of staff expected to walked off the job. Yesterday, this masthead reported that flagship current affairs program 7.30 will not go to air, alongside mass disruptions across all of the ABC’s broadcasting and digital services.

ABC staff are demanding the public broadcaster address what they claim is widespread poor pay, working conditions and job security. The ABC argues its pay offer of 10 per cent over three years is fair in the context of constrained funding and staff have long average tenures at the broadcaster.

Much of the ABC’s services will be replaced by BBC content on Wednesday.

“We will be maintaining services, but they won’t be of the standard that I would like to be on air,” Marks said.

Asked by Macdonald whether management owes the public an apology due to the disruptions, Marks said he feels “terrible that we’re in a position where we’re going to pull services from the public”.

“Are you sorry?” Macdonald asked. “Yeah, very much so, and I’m sorry to some of those staff that are in a really difficult position today because I know how difficult this can be for individuals. I am committed to finding the right outcome,” Marks said.

The ABC receives more than $1.1 billion in annual taxpayer funding.

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