ABC journalist faces possible discipline

Michael Slezak, an award-winning ABC climate journalist and federal president of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, wrote an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review last week.

The article was about press access

Slezak's piece discussed a proposal by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to restrict journalists from accessing home addresses and dates of birth of company directors.

ABC called him in to discuss policy

Last week Slezak met with ABC director of news Simon Robinson and head of digital and national news Lee Glendinning to discuss his adherence to the ABC's external work policy.

Management won't rule out dismissal

The union says Robinson and Glendinning raised the possibility that Slezak may have breached the ABC's external work policy and code of conduct, and refused to rule out disciplinary action, including dismissal.

“They refused to rule out disciplinary action, including dismissal.”

Union says this attacks collective rights

The MEAA claims Slezak had an agreement permitting public comment on behalf of journalists in his union role.One hundred ninety-seven ABC union members signed an open letter calling the action an attack on union work.

“We see this as an attack on our right to work collectively through our union.”

Union members to meet Tuesday

ABC union members will meet on Tuesday to discuss a collective response to the disciplinary threat against Slezak and what they see as an obstruction to press freedom.