After a meeting between ABC management, staff, unions and the Fair Work Commission on Monday, a new pay offer has been made in the hopes of ending the lengthy pay dispute.
The revised deal offers employees a 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years, up from the previous offer of 10 per cent over the same period.
Under the new proposal, staff would receive a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year (revised up from 3.5 per cent, and backpaid to October), and 3.25 per cent hikes in years two and three.
ABC management has also proposed a more considered approach to career progression, allowing for more rapid promotion of staff on merit.
However, the ABC has dropped the original $1000 bonus, which was originally offered but ultimately rejected earlier this month in a staff in a vote.
On Tuesday, an ABC spokesperson said in addition to an improved pay deal, the revised offer “also delivers clearer progression pathways between pay bands, targeted performance bonuses, retention of existing promotion provisions and enhanced leave entitlements.”
Jocelyn Gammie, ABC section secretary of the CPSU, said the union will be recommending that members support the improved offer.
“While ABC’s revised position does not fully address every issue in our claim, there has been significant movement on the key issues of pay and progression,” Ms Gammie said.
“In our view the strongly supported strike action last week worked exactly as intended – ABC management have listened and improved their position. Members should be extremely proud of the way they stood together and fought for what they deserve.”
Union members will vote on the new proposal at a later date.
ABC staff strike 2026
Upon return to work last Thursday after a 24 hour strike, ABC staff were asked what they would accept, and what could be the next step – with options including a one-hour stop work during the next Reserve Bank of Australia rates decision in April, or a second 24-hour walk-out to week-long walk-outs during April or during budget week in May.
In an interview with The Australian on Friday, managing director Hugh Marks said he might make concessions on some of the proposed changes to employment conditions for ABC staff.
“We have to get to a solution,” he said. “As opposed to pay, there are other areas that are options for me to consider … particularly issues that our junior and entry-level staff have with the organisation.
“I have to recognise that some staff have pretty poor experiences (at the ABC). And I know there are reasons for that.
“We have a model that rewards people based more on tenure than on demonstration of excellence.
“I would like to move more to a model that rewards people based on great outcomes, particularly some of our junior staff.
“We don’t currently do performance appraisals very well, so people get frustrated with that process. We’ve been working on that for six months and we’re going to continue to work on that over the course of the next few months.
“Excellence in output, excellence in the content that we deliver, is certainly a culture we’d love to have at the ABC.”