Staff at media organisation Stuff are understood to be considering further strikes as the company reduces its pay offer for some staff.
Last month, staff unhappy about plans to split their collective agreement into two and an “insulting” pay offer went on strike and picketed outside Stuff offices.
The company has separated into two divisions – Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing. But union members do not want their collective agreements split in two.
It was understood that since the August strike action, the company has said it will no longer backdate any pay rise to 1 July, when the last agreement expired. Any increase will only take effect from the day the new agreement was signed.
It was understood the pay offer for Stuff Digital staff has been reduced from 2.5 percent to 2 percent to match the masthead offer.
Michael Wood, director of union E tū, said it was disappointing Stuff was trying to “punish” workers by making a worse pay offer than was previously on the table, and was well below inflation.
“Simply because their workers asserted their rights and argued for a better deal. It seems at odds with the way that the owner of Stuff and the company itself like to present themselves.
“E tū will be focused on trying to settle a fair deal and has proposed mediation to Stuff. We hope that they take a constructive approach to this process and come to the table with a genuine willingness to listen to their staff and strike a fair deal.”
Stuff declined to comment.
“In keeping with our good faith and confidentiality commitments, we will not be commenting on our ongoing negotiations with E tū.”
Wellington-based journalist and E tū delegate Tom Hunt said last month the company seemed to be showing contempt for staff.
“Stuff journalists have taken hit after hit to get Sinead Boucher’s company through hard times. We accepted no increases during Covid and effectively nothing last year, because we believed the company when it told us times were tough.
“To now be offered an insulting pay rise, and to see the company trying to split us into different collective agreements, is disgraceful. It shows they plan to keep screwing us for years to come.
“This is from a company that boasts about being a wonderful corporate citizen, all while our owner takes a secret payday from selling a share of the business to Trade Me. The hypocrisy is staggering.”
