ABC told to continue consultation over redundancies
The ABC has been told by the Fair Work Commission it must further consult with staff on its pool process it is using to decide which staff to make redundant.
Yesterday the Commission ruled the broadcaster should extend consultation with staff on the pool process, but allow any staff who wish to be made redundant before Christmas to make themselves known by Friday to management. Staff in the pools who are at risk of redundancy must also be told by Wednesday, December 17.
Cuts to the cash the government provides to the broadcaster will result in up to 350 staff being let go, with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance and Community and Public Sector Union have been fighting to change the process put in place by management.
A release from the unions said: “MEAA and the CPSU argued that the pool process was inadequate, unfair and lacked transparency. We argued consultation was nowhere near enough advanced to commence a redundancy process and invited the Commission to stop the process until consultation was further advanced in the New Year.
“While the Commission did not endorse the pool process, they were also concerned to allow a process for people to depart if they had been identified as being potentially redundant and redundancy was their preferred option.”
ABC acting director of people Alan Sunderland sent a note to staff today explaining the ruling, adding: “At the end of discussions, the Commission made a number of recommendations which, in summary, give the ABC the go ahead to continue progressing the selection pools and advising staff in those pools if they are potentially redundant.
“This is a welcome recommendation, as it will end a lot of the uncertainty for staff in those pools who are concerned about whether or not they are facing potential redundancy.
“We will therefore be proceeding as planned to run those skills assessments and let those involved know the outcome by the middle of this week.”
Acting Director of People? This surely has to be some kind of joke. The Orwellian world is apparently centred at the ABC. How sad.
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Get it over with as quickly as possible. It is very sad nonetheless.
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