Wood to present Close Up tonight

Close Up presenter Susan Wood has settled her differences "amicably" with TVNZ and will present tonight's programme.

A TVNZ spokeswoman told National Radio that the state broadcaster had come to "an amicable arrangement" with the presenter, who won a personal grievance case against her employer yesterday, barring it from slashing her pay by $100,000 to $350,000.

TVNZ spokeswoman Avon Adams said after the meeting that TVNZ and Wood would now continue negotiations over her salary for an amicable resolution.

She was asked if "amicable resolution" meant a salary cut.

"What do you think? Amicable implies a two-way acceptance of the situation, doesn't it?"

During the Employment Relations Authority hearing, Wood said she would not accept less than $450,000 a year.

"We are going to be going into the process of negotiation and we have absolutely no intention of negotiating through the media."

She refused to discuss the possibility of a pay cut and said a date for the meeting to negotiate Wood's salary had yet to be set.

Wood's lawyer, Mai Chen, was unavailable for comment immediately.

The Employment Relations Authority ruled yesterday that Wood was a permanent employee, and as such TVNZ had no right to change her contract without consulting her.

TVNZ was criticised for its lack of transparency over salary setting.

Wood had also asked the authority for compensation for hurt and humiliation, saying the ultimatum made to her was an "unjustifiable action".

However, the authority ruled that TVNZ's actions could not be characterised as "unjustifiable" but were "merely entirely misguided".

The parties were encouraged to resolve costs between them, but if agreement was not reached, both parties would need to make applications to the authority.

Yesterday, prior to the ruling being issued, Wood turned up for work but says she was sent home involuntarily.

A TVNZ spokeswoman said at the time it was unfair on Wood to expect her to do the show on the day the ruling was due out.

Speaking this morning, Ms Chen said she was hopeful of "restoring the relationship".

But whether Wood wanted to keep her job completely depended on TVNZ's attitude toward her.

- NZPA