Why is dailytelegraph.com.au seemingly the only news website in the world which isn’t carrying a story on the Apple iPad this morning? Now, maybe they ran something yesterday and think it’s old news, but this is the biggest technology story in the world! The grassy knoll theorist in me suspects that the Tele must have a reason for not wanting people to know about a new device which will route people through Apple’s paywall rather than theirs. But surely I’m just being paranoid…

The Age clerical staff have walked off the job again. Age management have ignored protests two weeks ago. The main sticking point seems to be the fact that the company want to remove four annual leave days and to cap redundancies. Management has also used the Media House move to place some staff on contracts undermining original EBA’s. Journalists used their lunch breaks to come out in support of their colleagues.

Hypocrisy knows no bounds. While The Age’s CEO Don Churchill indulges himself with bonus payments and salary increases despite plunging profits on his watch, the screws are now being turned on loyal Age employees who earn a paltry $60K or less a year. …..

Date: 28 January 2010 11:25:59 AM AEDT

To: “Members” <members@alliance.org.au>

Subject: Urgent Alliance Bulletin – Age AMWU members to strike for 2 days – rally outside Media House at Midday to show solidarity Dear Members, As part of their campaign for a collective agreement, clerical, administrative, sales and marketing staff at The Age are striking for two days: Thursday, January 28 and Friday, January 29. The strike is protected action under the Fair Work Act. The AMWU is not putting up a picket line, but I wish to remind Alliance members of our union’s “normal work policy” which is that we do not seek to do the work of other staff when they are on strike.

My apologies for the late notice, but I invite Alliance members to a rally outside Media House at 12PM, TODAY, THURSDAY 28 JANUARY during their lunch break to show their support for other Fairfax staff who are trying to negotiate with a trenchant and stingy employer. The company offer so far is 2.5 per cent p.a. pay rise (each year for 3 years).

The company has said for it to increase the pay offer, staff must agree to forfeit 3 days’ annual leave plus a public holiday. They also want to cap redundancy payments at 1 year’s pay. Currently workers under the clerical agreement get 23 days of annual leave and the same redundancy pay as we receive, with no cap.

The company has also refused to recognise the AMWU members in the IT department and is refusing to negotiate an agreement for them, as well as frustrating attempts by the union to commence negotiations for the pre-press area.

Louise Connor

Victorian Secretary

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance

3/365 Queen St Melbourne Vic 3000

“You know something? I don’t think my job as Prime Minister is to provide individual, personal, moral advice for the young people of Australia. That’s something for them themselves to sort out with their friends, with their families, with their mums and their dads.” Kevin Rudd (on Tony Abbott’s advice to his daughters on virginity), January 27, 2010.

“Kids deserve to have the innocence of their childhood protected. I have a very deep view of this. For God’s sake, let’s just allow kids to be kids. Whatever the artistic view of the merits of that sort of stuff – frankly I don’t think there are any – just allow kids to be kids.” Kevin Rudd (on Bill Henson’s photographs), May 23, 2008.