Copyright smh
The MEAA is inspecting an initial tranche of timesheets and wage reports, provided by News, relating to its Melbourne-based staff, which were requested under the Fair Work Act. And the union is preparing a much wider request, spanning at least 120 union member staff, with the list of affected staff likely to grow longer, On Background was told The MEAA’s suspicion relates to News’ remuneration for staff working overtime, particularly as they are required to pay any staff member working more than five shifts in a seven-day week double for any additional days worked. The bill for News could be in the millions if the union’s suspicions are proved true. While News doesn’t have anywhere as near a unionised workforce as the ABC, Guardian or Nine Publishing (owner of this masthead), it is still one of the largest employers of journalists in Australia, giving MEAA a decent representation inside business. But the MEAA’s media director Cassie Derrick tells On Background that the excessive and potentially unsafe hours many News Corp journalists have allegedly worked without fair compensation is a direct result of how many staff members News has made redundant over the past decade.
