‘It’s more broken than losing advertising dollars’: MEAA director slams industry model

The recent deal struck between the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) members and Nine Publishing has come to light because the industry model is “broken” according to a director of the union.

Appearing on a new episode of the Mumbrellacast this week on the back of MEAA’s pledge to also secure minimum standards for freelancers, acting director of Media, Michelle Rae, said she was proud of the journalists from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, Brisbane Times and WAtoday who undertook the five-day strike and locked in pay rises and improved conditions.

Rae said the catalyst for the breakdown between journalists and Nine management started with the network’s June announcement of cutting up to 200 jobs, 70-90 of which would come in the publishing division.

“What they felt at that moment was no respect,” Rae said.