Good Morning staff walk off the job

TVNZ's Good Morning programme was taken off air today, when staff at the state-owned broadcaster's Avalon studio went on strike.

Some 60 members of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) and the Public Service Association (PSA) walked off the job at 9am in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Viewers were told the weekly magazine programme was not being screened "due to circumstances beyond TVNZ's control".

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said staff were angry that the state-owned broadcaster, which has repeatedly told the public and Parliament that it is in a strong financial position, has refused to offer them "a decent pay rise".

The cost of the difference between the 5 per cent pay rise the workers wanted and the 3.6 per cent on offer was "small", he said.

"We're talking about a $45,000 difference," he said.

"That's all it would cost to settle this agreement with an organisation that has just announced a $57.3 million profit."

Mediation last Friday failed to settle the dispute.

Mr Little said that the people who worked at Avalon were among the best in the world, but were "not on the huge salaries of some high profile television employees".

These people earn, on average, about $50,000 a year, he said.

"All they want is to be treated fairly."

PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff said there were health and safety issues at stake.

The workers at Avalon were highly specialised and the structure of the industry meant they were required to work for long times without a break.

"TVNZ must recognise and value the skills and dedication of their staff.

"They are the people who make the programmes happen. They deserve to be paid properly and accorded decent working terms and conditions."

As well as Good Morning, Avalon studio also produces Big Wednesday, Dancing with the Stars, and Lotto.

Staff were expected to return to work at 10am.

TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said the broadcaster had been notified of the strike action at Avalon at 9am.

"But we were able to bring on substitute programming with no break in transmission," she said.

TV One was screening re-runs of Parkinson this morning.

Scheduled programming was expected to resume at 11am.

TVNZ was considering its response and was not prepared to comment on the industrial dispute at this stage, she said.

- NZPA