Fairfax columnist Joe Aston labels colleagues’ strike action ‘unlawful’ after being called a scab
Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston has hit back after being called a “scab” on social media by describing the strike organised by Fairfax Media colleagues as “unlawful” and “wildcat”.
Hundreds of Fairfax journalists walked out on Thursday after the company announced 120 more job losses across The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. This morning, staff returned to the newsrooms.
After colleagues walked out on Thursday in the unprotected industrial action, Rear Window columnist Joe Aston tweeted: “Grateful for Fairfax Media colleagues remaining behind (=abiding the law) to produce the news for our readers. We’re not all on strike.”
This just strikes me as part of Aston’s “act”‘ – the whole Rear Window shtick is that it’s cosy with powerbrokers and decision-makers, and above the lefty journalism rabble. It always comes across as slightly play-acting and this seems firmly in character.
Well done Joe
Aston – What an absolute legend! Nice work!
When will Journo’s understand that they are in a business. Print Journo’s are a different breed as they think their pen is mighty than the economics of running the business that is paying them.
The print titles have all but declined with the onslaught of the web. The real eye opener is that you can now get good quality online rather than the rehash of print.
Let’s face it the Australia print paper landscape has rarely produced any decent content in years.
Get with the times print Journo’s before it’s too late.
Cutting travel expenses, lunch expenses, less contributor budgets and Editors actually writing… Who would have thought.
Dummy Spit walk out with no regard to the publication nor those that pay their wages.
Big fan of Joe. He calls it as it is. Well done Joe. And PS – I’m glad when the Oz was trying to poach you, you NEVER went. You’re a man of character and most certainly not a scab!
It would have been more impressive and valuable for the journos to donate one day’s wage to a fund to help their sacked colleagues instead of going on strike – especially if it’s an illegal one as Aston claims. The strike will certainly not help anyone and provides further ammunition against union bad behaviour. A lose/lose event.
If he is not in the union, why should he be compelled to strike?
At least people read Rear Window.
Clearly he only cares about himself and his management that is gutting the organisation, not his colleagues.
The hard truth is that the strike had little to show for itself as the SMH still came out more or less intact – gave up reading the Sun Herald years ago so have no idea about that. The Saturday paper still had its features sections, such as Spectrum and Good Weekend, although news and sport were somewhat light on. Still, any day without that tiresome blowhard Fitzsimons is a good day. (Does he have something on the management? He’s given more space to fill that a landscape gardener.) Today’s paper still had the Guide and the full TV rundown for the week. Anyway, back to work boys ands girls while you still have jobs – the walkout no doubt gave you all a nice warm inner glow even though next to nobody else noticed, or cared.
If he is not in the union he is not legally allowed to strike. A scab however is not someone who refuses to participate in a strike, it is someone who refuses to join a union. So he is a scab, despite his assertions.
They’re such nasty pieces of work, aren’t they?
The Fairfaxistas showing their true colours.
No wonder so much Fairfax editorial and opinion is so negative, so mean-spirited, so bitter.
Well done Joe. You’ve shown up your colleagues for the lawless, biased, entitled dinosaurs they are.
I love Joe for his regular (and well deserved) digs at Daily Tele editor and now editor-in-chief at The Oz Paul Whittaker. Joe is certainly not partisan when it comes to dishing out the hate. It works.
This thread is hilarious. You’d think Aston was some sort of saint. Fact is he writes a very ordinary column with very little in it worth knowing, spends a lot of time trailing for freebies and spends the weekend writing slightly sad accounts of his lonely, drunken life.
Aston needed to show up because it’s the only time his “work” would be noticed. Plus he needs to stay in Hywood’s favour to maintain his indulgences.
I wonder what a shrink would say about his weird references (to such things as his own erection)?
If he is not in the union, why should he be compelled to strike?
Well he just might want to take advantage of the benefits union membership brings.
Isn’t it wonderful how we can dismiss these Journalists who spent large parts of their lives building the brand and company as simply beneficiaries of a machine that should dispose of people like used paper.
How cynical and self interested we have become? Human concerns are secondary to financial realities? God help me if I ever have to work along side any of you.