Channel Nine staff have been left outraged after The Block star Scott Cam flew to Paris to promote the new season of the hit reality show during the Olympics.
Cam has been embroiled in a pay dispute at the network that has seen most staff at its editorial titles, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, walk off the job on Friday.
The strike comes after an improved wage offer was rejected on Thursday night.
The Guardian He said the TV professional’s trip was “the final provocation for journalists who were considering going on strike on the eve of the Paris Olympics.”
Talking with him ABC On Friday, The Age’s state political reporter Broede Carmody said anger among staff was currently “white-hot”.
“We are seeking a fair salary increase in line with inflation. Quarterly inflation has been around 4 percent and the company is only offering 3.4 percent… It is not enough.”
Broede added that Cam’s trip to Paris added insult to injury after a recent announcement of 200 job cuts, including up to 90 in its publishing division, across the company.
“How many jobs at Nine Publishing could have been saved if TV personalities who have nothing to do with the Olympics were not currently sleeping in luxury hotels in Paris?” he asked.
Channel Nine staff have been left outraged after The Block star Scott Cam flew to Paris to promote the new season of the hit reality show during the Olympics.
A Channel Nine spokesperson confirmed Cam’s visit to Paris to Daily Mail Australia.
“Scott Cam is on record as being in Paris when The Block launches immediately after the Olympics,” the spokesperson said.
‘So he’s there for work, to promote the 20th anniversary of the series.’
Broede added that the news of Scott Cam’s trip to Paris was the latest in a series of measures that had angered staff.
“Anger is boiling over right now and it’s not just because of one particular incident,” he said.
Journalists at Nine Publishing began a five-day strike on Friday after rejecting a revised enterprise bargaining offer.
The TV worker has flown to Paris to promote the new season of The Block, which The Guardian said was the “final provocation” for Nine journalists who were considering striking ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“Journalists at Nine Publishing are being asked to do more for less,” said Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) acting director Michelle Rae in a statement.
Michelle also criticised Nine boss Mike Sneesby, who is currently in Paris taking part in the Olympic torch relay.
“It is particularly galling for our members that while they are trying to negotiate a new enterprise agreement and dealing with the stress of redundancies in an Australian winter, CEO Mike Sneesby is enjoying sunny France while taking part in the Olympic torch relay,” he said.
‘Our members have a simple message for Mr Sneesby: get your priorities right and don’t destroy journalism.’
The strike begins hours before the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday night.
Nine has exclusive broadcast rights to the world’s biggest sporting event as part of a $305 million deal that runs through to the 2032 Games in Brisbane.
Nine boss Mike Sneesby has also come under fire for being in Paris over a pay dispute at the broadcaster that has seen most staff at its editorial titles, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, walk off the job on Friday.
Around 200 jobs are expected to be cut from the company’s 5,000-employee national team as part of a $30 million cost-cutting plan.
The job cuts will also include the loss of 90 positions, which will be eliminated in the company’s publishing division.
The redundancies will affect positions at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review.
The job cuts will also affect 38 positions in the high-profile news and current affairs broadcast team, which spans Nine News and 60 Minutes.
