The Community and Public Sector Union has today lodged an application to run a Protected Action Ballot after the ABC's proposed Enterprise Agreement last year received a resounding no vote from staff.
The CPSU and MEAA, the unions representing staff at the ABC, have joined forces to campaign for improvements to ABC management's sub-inflation pay offer and key improvements to working conditions.
Today's application would give CPSU members at ABC the opportunity to vote on taking protected industrial action, including work restrictions, bans and strike action as a final resort.
If approved by the Fair Work Commission, CPSU members in the ABC will have the opportunity to vote to authorise a range of protected industrial actions and could take those actions as part of their campaign to improve pay and conditions.
From a legislative standpoint, only union members can take part in protected industrial actions.
Today's application serves as a timely reminder for any non-unionised staff at the ABC to join their union now.
Quotes attributable to Sinddy Ealy
"Staff at the ABC are sick and tired of management crying poor and expecting staff to make financial sacrifices to benefit the growth of the ABC, just because it is the ABC.
"If the ABC cannot pay staff wages that keep up with the cost of living, then that is a problem they should be raising with the Federal Government. The solution to that issue is not to turn around and ask staff to continuously accept sub-inflation pay rises that leaves them and their families struggling to keep up with the cost of living.
"For too long, ABC management has taken advantage of the dedication and loyalty of staff while their workloads go up and real wages go down.
"It is time for ABC management to step up and do what needs to be done to stop ABC wages going even further backwards.
