Hundreds of journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) plan to walk off the job on Wednesday in protest over wages, working conditions, and fears of AI replacing staff. This marks the first strike by ABC employees in two decades, following a union vote rejecting an inflation-lagging pay proposal.

Strike Details and Impact

The action begins at 11:00 local time (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday and lasts 24 hours. Large protests are anticipated outside ABC’s primary offices in Sydney and Melbourne, where participants will don black attire. Key programs, including the 7.30 evening current affairs show and Thursday breakfast broadcasts, face cancellation, with reruns and pre-recorded content filling the schedule.

Radio stations like Triple J and ABC Classic will limit live segments, opting mainly for music playback. The ABC, which employs over 4,400 people—including about 2,000 in its largest news division—faces significant disruptions across operations.

Pay Offer Rejection

Union members turned down a proposed 10% pay increase staggered over three years: 3.5% in the first year, followed by 3.25% annually. A one-time $1,000 bonus was included but excluded casual workers. With Australia’s January inflation at 3.8%, 60% of voting members rejected the deal, and a majority endorsed industrial action.

Workers demand higher rates for night shifts, improved career paths, fewer short-term contracts, and assurances against AI-driven job losses.

Union and Management Perspectives

“ABC staff don’t want to strike—they want to do their jobs,” stated Erin Madeley, chief executive of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, one of two unions representing employees. “They want fair pay, secure work, and guardrails around the use of technologies like AI to protect editorial integrity and public trust.”

Melissa Donnelly of the Community and Public Sector Union emphasized the need for salaries matching cost-of-living pressures. “ABC plays such an important role in our society and in Australian storytelling, and it’s really important ABC management come to the table,” she said.

ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks defended the offer as “financially responsible and competitive for the industry.” He noted it “reflects the maximum level the ABC can sustainably provide and is balanced when looking across all the factors that we need to consider.”

The broadcaster intends to escalate the dispute to the Fair Work Commission for resolution.