ABC staff are planning a 24-hour strike on Wednesday (24 March 2026) after rejecting a 10 per cent pay rise over three years.
The industrial action began at 11am on Wednesday, 25 March, and received majority support from the ABC’s union members.
According to the ABC, 60 per cent of staff that belong to the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) had rejected a 10 per cent pay rise and $1,000 bonus.
However, the MEAA disputes this figure, claiming that the strike received 90 per cent support from nearly 1,000 staff who took part in the ballot.
“ABC staff are taking this step because they want fair pay that keeps up with the cost of living, genuine job security, and working conditions that allow them to continue serving the Australian public with integrity,” Erin Madeley said.
Madeley said below‑inflation pay outcomes and ongoing insecure work threatened the future of public‑interest journalism.
“Experienced journalists and media workers are being asked to do more with less – with fewer opportunities for pay progression, less certainty about their future, and growing workloads,” she said.
“This isn’t just a workforce issue. When skilled, experienced staff are forced out, communities lose trusted local voices, particularly in regional Australia where the ABC is often the only local newsroom.”
The ABC’s chief people officer Deena Amorelli said the public service broadcaster would now apply to the Fair Work Commission to assist with resolving the enterprise bargaining stand off.
