Graeme Thomson, ABC section secretary for the Community and Public Service Union, said stop-work meetings in ABC offices across Australia today would discuss the matter. He said an announcement by ABC management was expected on December 18.
Voluntary redundancies are one of a number of things managers are considering.
People are terrified of losing their jobs. They are angry because the cuts aren't necessary, there was no government cut in the budget and therefore no external reason for these job losses. Mr Shier told a Senate estimates committee last week that the ABC expected to shed jobs but he did not nominate a number. Mr Shier started at the ABC in March and has overseen the sacking of many senior editorial executives. He has had to defend to staff the hiring of new executives on salaries much larger than those of their predecessors.