Nine Entertainment Journalists End Five-Day Strike with Pay Agreement

Nine Entertainment journalists reach in-principle pay agreement after five-day strike

Journalists at Nine's publishing arm have called off ongoing industrial action after coming to an in-principle agreement over pay on their first day back after a five-day strike. The strike has affected the production of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, Australian Financial Review and WAtoday since Friday when some 500 journalists walked off the job on the eve of the Paris Olympics. On Wednesday at 11am, editorial staff at the heavily unionised workplace walked back into newsrooms across the country, vowing to continue industrial action until a pay rise above inflation was on the table. The managing director of publishing Tory Maguire offered them a total of 11.5% over three years, a one percentage point improvement on last Thursday's offer which totalled 10.5% over three years, and which led to the strike. Staff voted to accept the offer, which included other conditions, later in the day. The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) said members secured an in-principle agreement that will deliver an "inflation-busting pay rise this year, ethical use of AI in newsrooms and a way forward for freelancers to get a fair deal on pay and conditions". The offer accepted in principle is 4% in the first year, 3.75% in the second year, and 3.75% in the third. The initial offer of 2.5% in the first year was labelled "laughable" by staff. The subsequent improved offer was 3.5% in the first year, 4% in the second year and 3% in the third year. "We are pleased to confirm we have reached an in-principle agreement with the union on a new EBA," a Nine spokesperson said. "We welcomed the MEAA's decision today to resume negotiations, which supported a swift resolution of the outstanding issues. The new deal provides certainty for the business and our people as we continue to produce world-class journalism for our readers." The dispute has been damaging for Nine Entertainment. Its chief executive, Mike Sneesby, returned to Australia on Tuesday after a highly scrutinised week in Paris hosting corporate clients. His decision to carry the Olympic torch in the run-up to the games was criticised by staff as tone deaf coming as it did after he announced 200 jobs would be cut at the media company. Sneesby was pilloried by rival media for his expensive accomodation choices in Paris and for refusing to answer questions. Nine paid $305m for the exclusive rights to the next five games, from Paris in 2024 to Brisbane in 2032. Guests of Nine Entertainment's corporate hospitality included the powerful sporting executive Peter V'landys, who is both the Australian Rugby League Commission chair and Racing NSW chief executive. Sneesby has said job cuts are necessary due to an advertising downturn and a decision by Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram - not to enter new multimillion-dollar deals for content when contracts expire this year.

Strike action suspended as Nine print journos reach new pay deal

Journalists at Nine Publishing have accepted a pay rise offer from management, putting an end to the five-day strike which emptied newsrooms as the Olympics started in Paris. The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance announced the news in a statement on Wednesday, declaring it was the result of "union members' solidarity and commitment to fight for quality journalism" and public support. The new offer "satisfied key demands" and included a 11.5 per cent pay increase over three years, as well as ethical use of AI and an agreement to negotiate for a fair deal for freelancers, according to Director of MEAA Media Michelle Rae. Members of the union at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times and WAtoday voted to accept the offer in-principle at meetings this afternoon. "Our members should be very proud that their solidarity with each other and their commitment to their role of public interest journalism has produced this outcome," Ms Rae said. "In an historic first, staff and freelancers stood side-by-side so that no-one was left behind. "They took a stand to protect quality journalism at their mastheads and it's clear from the massive public support for the journalists while they were on strike that readers want access to quality journalism and the boards of media companies need to find a new business model." The offer is set to be subject to a formal vote in the coming days and will then be submitted to the Fair Work Commission for approval. The suspension to the strike comes after scores of journalists at Nine's metro mastheads walked off the job last Friday ahead of the much-anticipated Olympics opening ceremony. Many attended demonstrations including one in Sydney which featured signs and t-shirts with the slogan "don't torch journalism". According to news.com.au, staff had previously been offered a 3.5 per cent annual pay rise in an email sent on Wednesday, compared to the two per cent which was already in place. The industrial action prompted Nine CEO Mike Sneesby to address staff in an email expressing his disappointment, days after he was spotted carrying the Olympic torch through the Paris streets. He also lamented the timing of the strike as it came after the company "invested significantly" to provide exclusive Olympics coverage. Mr Sneesby announced in June more than 200 job cuts, mostly from the newspaper and broadcast divisions, amid plunging advertising revenue. On Tuesday, an unnamed Nine staffer told the Daily Mail staff are "furious" to be living in budget accommodation while Mr Sneesby is holding court at the five star Le Pavilion de la Reine hotel and spa in the posh Le Marais district. Media insider and Blackbox founder Rob McKnight believes the "optics" of Mr Sneesby's trip are bad but argued the CEO is in Paris to drum up vital advertising deals for the broadcaster. "Sneesby is there to woo advertisers, they use the Olympics to give advertisers a good feeling for Nine and sign on the dotted line," Mr McKnight told SkyNews.com.au on Tuesday. "If Nine don't capitalise on the Olympics and get advertisers through the door the simple fact is they're jeopardising the future and there will be more job losses."