Regarding pay rises for AWA staff, Andrew Biocca, News Ltd Group Employment Relations Manager, said last week: "We have never ‘automatically’ paid AWA staff pay increases from when the EBA increases fall due."

The recent announcement of 10 editorial job cuts at the Hobart Mercury means the paper’s owner, News Limited, has now axed at least 80 journalists from its Australian newspapers in recent months.

Equity met with the producers of new ABC children’s TV show My Place in Sydney this week to negotiate a draft agreement for the production of online content for the show’s website. This will be in line with other recent webisodes agreements negotiated by Equity.

The Alliance continues to meet with film and TV crew to hear what improvements they would like made to their work conditions and to discuss the upcoming renegotiation of the film and TV crew contract, the MPPA. Last week the Alliance met with grips and electrics, All Saints crew, SFX crew and hair and make up artists in Sydney. Further meetings are planned around the country. To participate in a meeting in your state call 1300 65 65 12 to be put in contact with your Alliance film and TV crew organiser.

The producers of feature film Mao’s Last Dancer have finally signed the agreement that outlines performers’ pay and conditions, which was reached more than a year ago. Equity thanks those members who refused to participate in any further work on the film until this matter was resolved.