We’re drawing a line on insecure jobs in media

MEAA Media Federal President Michael Slezak

A message from MEAA Media Federal President Michael Slezak

Our colleagues across the industry – whether in-house or freelancers – are telling us how employment insecurity has made it harder to demand fair pay, push back against bullying and racism, claim compensation for excessive overtime, and do the brave, rigorous storytelling we all seek to do.

Employers have spent the last decade pushing the financial risk from decreased advertising and unstable funding onto the workers who fill the papers, websites, and airwaves.

It’s time for that to change.

Good, safe, secure jobs are a key strategic goal for us as a union, and MEAA members across the industry are standing together to win them.

Among our current priorities:

• At ACM, members at NSW/ACT mastheads are standing together to hold the line against canalisation and reduction to redundancies in bargaining.

• Staff and freelancers at Nine have stood together to secure an industry leading minimum rate for freelancers of 80c per word for writers, and a 9% increase for photographers.

• MEAA lodged a dispute in the Federal Court over the ABC's misuse of run-of-show contracts. This is already leading to change for some of the most insecure of our colleagues at the ABC. We’ll also be fighting to reduce the overuse of fixed-term contracts in bargaining this year.

• Members at News Corp are pushing back against the use of AI to replace subediting and digital production jobs.

• We’re backing in casuals like Antoinette Lattouf, who was found to have been unfairly dismissed by the ABC in response to political pressure.

It’s a tough time to be a journalist, and it’s more important than ever that we have the secure, quality jobs that quality journalism demands. Congratulations to every member for being part of holding the line, I’m honoured to stand with you.

Michael Slezak, Federal President, MEAA Media