Image: Nine CEO Mike Sneesby (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Journalists at Nine Publishing have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike for the first five days of the Paris Olympics if a deal can’t be reached with management.
Union members with the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times and WAtoday made the vote on Monday afternoon.
The move comes after Nine owner Mike Sneesby announced 90 job cuts in an effort to save over $30 million across the business, against the backdrop of declining advertising revenue and the impending end of a commercial deal with Meta.
Journalists are seeking a fair wage increase, diversity pay audit and quotas, and protection against the use of AI in the newsroom.
The strikes would disrupt Sneesby’s plans to have cross-platform coverage of the Paris Olympics. Nine bought exclusive rights to broadcast the summer and winter games until Brisbane 2032 in a $304 million deal last year.
In a statement, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) said, “These mastheads are strong financial performers, and have a reputation for award-winning journalism, and Nine needs to invest in its editorial front line ahead of its financial bottom line.”
“The decision to go on strike was not made lightly as an event like the Olympics only comes along once every four years.”
“Members regret the disruption the industrial action may cause. We urge management of Nine Publishing to resolve the issues in the bargaining meeting on Wednesday.”
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