The Australian Writers’ Guild has secured a major workplace win at Seven, with the network agreeing to move the Home and Away script department from rolling fixed-term arrangements to permanent employment – ending years of contract lapses over the Christmas shutdown period.
The move follows months of quiet advocacy from AWG members who questioned whether 2022 amendments to the Fair Work Act, which restrict the use of fixed-term contracts, applied to their roles.
Fixed-term contracts ‘terminated every December’
AWG Director of Industrial and Policy Bryant Apolonio said the long-standing practice left script personnel without pay or job security at the exact moment the show paused production.
“The Australian Writers Guild and the Seven Network came to an agreement about moving our members on the script department team to permanent employment contracts,” he said.
“Previously, those members were engaged in fixed-term contracts that terminated in December of each year, and then were reissued in January the following year, leaving the writers without pay or employment during the holiday period.”
Apolonio said members sought clarity from the Guild after the Fair Work Act changes were introduced.
“The Fair Work Act was amended in 2022 to prohibit certain kinds of fixed-term contracts. The members came to the guild for advice on whether those changes applied to them, and we thought that they did,” he said.
AWG Director of Industrial and Policy Bryant Apolonio
AWG raised the issue – Seven agreed to transition
After reviewing the arrangements, the AWG formally raised the matter with Seven. Apolonio said the network ultimately agreed to transition the roles to ongoing employment.
“Together, we raised the issue with Seven, and they ultimately agreed to transition the employees to permanent contracts,” he said.
The shift also comes with financial adjustments.
“The members also received certain benefits, including payment for the public holidays that fell during the 2024 production break periods,” he said.
For the Guild, the outcome is being held up as both a test case and a signal to the broader screen industry about the changing expectations around employment conditions.
“This is a massive win for guild members and a testament to the power of workers standing together for better pay and conditions,” Apolonio said.
The AWG described the result as a blueprint for future negotiations as legislative changes continue to reshape contract practices across media and entertainment.