The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance says a buyout offer from Network Ten's new owner Skydance to all employees could breach Australian employment laws, as Ten staff seek clarity on the proposal.
Last week, an email titled "Building a winning culture" landed in the inboxes of Network Ten employees, offering "one-time" buyouts asking if they wanted to leave the company, now named Skydance. Skydance, owned by David Ellison, bought Ten's owner Paramount last year and last month completed a deal for Warner Bros Discovery, the parent of HBO and CNN.
While Skydance insisted the offer is definitively not a redundancy round, offering “personalised details and terms, and a window to decide whether to accept this one-time offer”, the union said the company is unwilling to meet its obligations and is making a blatant attempt to undermine workers’ rights.
"Union members at Ten have fought for years to secure fair redundancy entitlements for circumstances exactly like these. If Skydance needs to reduce headcount, there is a clear process in place to follow," acting union media director Matty Burton said.
"This reflects an imported American approach to workforce restructuring that disregards established Australian workplace protections and shows little regard for the employees who create the journalism our communities rely on."
Burton said it was "Equally concerning is the apparent failure of Network Ten to make clear to its new corporate owners that Australian workers are protected by legally enforceable rights and agreements that cannot simply be set aside when it is commercially convenient."
Union officials told Ten staff they are assessing whether Ten and Skydance have complied with local workplace obligations and the Fair Work Act in distributing the buyout program information to local staff. The program would not include certain conditions available to staff taking redundancies, such as tax benefits.
Staff at Network Ten are treating the offer with scepticism, with some telling On Background there is a belief it is a trick to sidestep or remove a voluntary redundancy process. Few staff have taken up the offer so far, On Background hears.
Skydance was approached for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The dispute tests whether Australian workplace protections can be bypassed by a US-style 'one-time offer' buyout structure.
- It affects the working conditions and redundancy entitlements of Network Ten's employees, and could set a precedent for other Australian subsidiaries of US media companies.
- The broader media sector is under cost-cutting pressure, with Seven and Nine also announcing recent job cuts.
Background
Skydance, the media company controlled by David Ellison, acquired Network Ten's parent Paramount last year and last month completed a deal for Warner Bros Discovery, owner of HBO and CNN. The buyout offer was sent to all Ten employees via an email titled "Building a winning culture". The union has already fought for fair redundancy entitlements at Ten and says the offer undermines those agreements.
Key Perspectives
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance: says Skydance is making a blatant attempt to undermine its workers' rights and that the company is unwilling to meet its obligations under the Fair Work Act.
Skydance: insists the offer is definitively not a redundancy round, describing it as a "one-time offer" with personalised terms.
What to Watch
- The outcome of the union's assessment of whether Ten and Skydance complied with the Fair Work Act.
- Whether any staff accept the offer, and whether Skydance alters the terms in response to the union's concerns.
- Potential legal action if the union finds a breach of workplace laws.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe union says Skydance’s buyout offer may breach Australian workplace laws.WA Today - Latest News: “the Australian media union reckons the company could be in breach of local employment laws.”
- SupportedThe MEAA says Skydance is making a blatant attempt to undermine workers’ rights with a one-time offer to all staff.WA Today - Latest News: “the union says the company is unwilling to meet its obligations and is making a blatant attempt to undermine its workers’ rights.”
- SupportedLast week, a “Building a winning culture” email went to Network Ten employees, asking if they wanted to leave through a one-time offer.WA Today - Latest News: “last week when an email titled “Building a winning culture” landed in the inboxes of employees of Network Ten, filled with American corporate gobbledegook about buyouts, “one-time offers” and “in-person collaboration” asking if they wanted to leave the company now titled Skydance.”
- SupportedSkydance is owned by David Ellison, who bought Ten’s owner Paramount last year and completed a deal for Warner Bros Discovery last month.WA Today - Latest News: “Skydance is owned by David Ellison, who after buying Ten’s owner Paramount last year, completed a deal for HBO and CNN owner Warner Bros Discovery last month.”
- SupportedSkydance insisted the offer was definitively not a redundancy round.WA Today - Latest News: “the company insisted it is definitively not a redundancy round”
- SupportedMatty Burton said Ten union members had fought for years for fair redundancy entitlements and that there was a clear process if Skydance needed to reduce headcount.WA Today - Latest News: ““Union members at Ten have fought for years to secure fair redundancy entitlements for circumstances exactly like these. If Skydance needs to reduce headcount, there is a clear process in place to follow,” acting union media director Matty Burton said.”
- SupportedBurton said the approach reflected an imported American approach to workforce restructuring that disregarded Australian workplace protections.WA Today - Latest News: ““This reflects an imported American approach to workforce restructuring that disregards established Australian workplace protections and shows little regard for the employees who create the journalism our communities rely on.””
- SupportedBurton said it was concerning that Network Ten had apparently failed to make clear to its new corporate owners that Australian workers’ rights and agreements could not simply be set aside.WA Today - Latest News: ““Equally concerning is the apparent failure of Network Ten to make clear to its new corporate owners that Australian workers are protected by legally enforceable rights and agreements that cannot simply be set aside when it is commercially convenient.””
- SupportedUnion officials told Ten staff they were assessing whether Ten and Skydance had complied with local workplace obligations and the Fair Work Act in distributing the program information to local staff.WA Today - Latest News: “Union officials have told Ten staff they are assessing whether Ten and Skydance have complied with local workplace obligations and the Fair Work Act in distributing the buyout program information to local staff.”
- SupportedThe program would not include some conditions available to staff taking redundancies, such as tax benefits.WA Today - Latest News: “The program would not include certain conditions afforded to staff taking redundancies, such as tax benefits.”
- SupportedSome Network Ten staff told On Background they believed the offer was a trick to sidestep or remove a voluntary redundancy process.WA Today - Latest News: “Some have told On Background there is a belief it is a trick to sidestep or remove a voluntary redundancy process.”
- SupportedFew staff had taken up the offer so far.WA Today - Latest News: “Few staff have taken up the enticing offer so far, we hear.”