Channel Nine staff are furious after The Block star Scott Cam flew to Paris to promote the new season of the hit reality show during the Olympics.
Cam is embroiled in a pay dispute at the network, which has led to the majority of staff at its publishing houses, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, walking off the job on Friday.
The strike comes after an improved wage offer was rejected on Thursday evening.
The guard claims the TV presenter’s trip was the “latest provocation for journalists considering a strike on the eve of the Paris Olympics.”
Speaking to the ABC On Friday, Broede Carmody, political reporter for The Age, said anger among staff was currently “hot”.
“We are aiming for a fair wage increase that is in line with inflation. Quarterly inflation is hovering around 4 percent and the company is only offering 3.4 percent… That’s just not good enough.”
Broede added that Cam’s trip to Paris was even worse than the last time, following the announcement that 200 jobs would be cut within the company, including 90 jobs in publishing.
“How many jobs at Nine Publishing could we have saved if TV personalities who have nothing to do with the Olympics weren’t now sleeping in luxury hotels in Paris?” he said.
Channel Nine staff are furious 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 to Daily Mail Australia that Cam had been to Paris.
“It is certain that Scott Cam will be in Paris when The Block kicks off immediately after the Olympics,” the spokesperson said.
“So he’s there for work purposes, 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 changes that had angered staff.
“The anger is red hot right now and it’s not just about this one incident,” he said.
Journalists at Nine Publishing began a five-day strike on Friday after rejecting a revised offer from the company.
The television tradition has flown to Paris to promote the new season of The Block, in what The Guardian said was the “latest provocation” for journalists at Nine considering strike action on the eve of the Paris Olympics.
“Journalists at Nine Publishing are being asked to do more for less,” said Michelle Rae, acting chief executive of the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), in a statement.
Michelle also hit out at Nine boss Mike Sneesby, who is currently in Paris to take part in the Olympic torch relay.
“It is particularly painful for our members that while they are trying to negotiate a new company agreement and deal with the stress of redundancies in the Australian winter, CEO Mike Sneesby is enjoying sunny France while taking part in the Olympic torch relay,” she said.
‘Our members have a simple message to Mr Sneesby: get your priorities right and don’t set journalism on fire.’
The strike begins just hours before the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday evening.
Nine has acquired exclusive broadcast rights to the world’s biggest sporting event as part of a $305 million deal that has been extended to the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
Nine boss Mike Sneesby has also been criticised for being in Paris over a pay dispute at the network, which led to the majority of staff at the publisher’s titles, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, walking off the job on Friday.
About 200 jobs are expected to be cut from the 5,000-employee nationwide team as part of a $30 million cost-cutting plan for the company.
The layoffs will also eliminate 90 jobs at the company’s publishing division.
The layoffs affect positions at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review.
The job cuts also affect 38 roles at the leading news and current affairs broadcaster, which includes Nine News and 60 Minutes.