TVNZ has been told to enter mediation with the E tū union after a number of high profile shows were cancelled by the broadcaster.
Sunday, Fair Go, Midday and Tonight were all dropped by TVNZ, leading to the union taking the network to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA). A total of 68 proposed job losses across the company also impacted youth brand Re: News and other parts of the business outside news and current affairs.
Today, the ERA released a ruling ordering that mediation should take place after it found a collective agreement clause obliging it to consult with staff was broken by the broadcaster.
“The Authority finds that TVNZ has breached cl 10.1.1 of the collective agreement,” ERA member Peter Fuiava said in his ruling.
“If after mediation matters have not resolved, a compliance order shall be issued against TVNZ ordering it comply with cl 10.1.1 of the collective agreement.”
TVNZ would have 28 days to appeal this ruling to the Employment Court.
‘Disappointed by the decision’
The broadcaster responded, saying: “We are disappointed by the decision today from the Employment Relations Authority. We will now take the time to consider the decision and our next steps.”
It comes after TVNZ confirmed in March it was axing long-running current affairs shows Sunday and Fair Go and its Midday and Tonight news bulletins. It was also removing other roles across the business.
At the time, TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell said all feedback to the proposed changes had been considered.
“While these decisions are incredibly difficult, we must bring our costs more in line with our revenue and get our business in shape for a digital-first world,” she said. “However, we’ve listened to our people and we’re pleased to propose a new team to take the lead on long-form consumer and current affairs reporting for TVNZ’s current and future digital products.”
E tū union responds
“We are really happy, but not surprised, that the Authority reached the same conclusion as us – that the process was a clear breach of the collective agreement,” E tū negotiation specialist, Michael Wood said.
“We negotiated for members to have meaningful input into change processes because the workers are the experts, and had TVNZ honoured the collective agreement from the beginning, we may well have reached a much more favourable option for everyone.
“Instead, we’ve had to endure this messy and incomplete consultation process, and the company has already steamed ahead with their plans to cancel our important news and current affairs shows.
“The determination demonstrates that TVNZ management seriously underestimated the extent to which they needed to engage with their employees to find a way forward in these difficult times for the company. They need to engage much more fully – and that requirement is for the benefit of viewers, and the public as a broad stakeholder, as well as for workers at TVNZ. Workers and stakeholders all deserve much better.
“We aren’t going to predetermine the outcome of our mediation, but we are hoping that TVNZ management will finally get the message that they can’t take their workers for granted in these processes.”
