ABC management has reversed its ban on ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, entering the broadcaster’s Ultimo headquarters to address staff on editorial independence at an end-of-year union meeting on Wednesday.
Earlier McManus said the ABC was the first employer in the country to deny her entry, which she said conveyed “a lot about the culture and attitude of some in management”.
Delegates from the Community and Public Sector Union and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance had written to ABC management to request a room for an end-of-year meeting with McManus.
But in a letter to the delegates, the ABC’s director of people and community, Rebekah Donaldson, said it was “inappropriate” for McManus to hold a meeting inside the ABC, so organisers planned to hold the lunchtime meeting outside, at the back of the building.
Sources said management increasingly had a “hostile agenda” towards the union and regularly refused entry to union officials.
In May the ABC told Senate estimates the broadcaster had shed 1,012 jobs since 2014.
“Since becoming ACTU secretary I have visited many, many workplaces across the country – maybe one a week,” McManus wrote on Facebook.
@sallymcmanus Sadly ABC IR has a little way to go but @CPSUnion members will be there to listen to you speak - rain, hail or shine - and they can’t wait to #ChangeTheRules. https://t.co/HGJas6SfTR
— Sinddy Ealy (@sinddyealy) November 12, 2018
After being approached by the media, the ABC said McManus could attend a meeting of CPSU members at a later date but stopped short of approving her visit on Wednesday.
“The ABC has confirmed it is happy for ACTU secretary Sally McManus to attend a meeting of CPSU members at the ABC in an appropriate meeting room on a date to be confirmed,” a spokeswoman said.
Later on Tuesday ABC management backflipped and offered the Eugene Goossens Hall inside the ABC for McManus and union members to hold their meeting.
“Its good that the ABC management has reconsidered its position, and Sally is looking forward to meeting with the people who work at the ABC,” a spokesman for the ACTU said.
