Nine CEO Sneesby to return to Australia as staff anger builds over pay, job cuts
Strike action at Nine has already hamstrung the company’s coverage of the Paris Olympics, and on Monday scuppered plans to host ministers and regulators at a summit in Canberra.
Nine Entertainment chief executive Mike Sneesby will return to Australia this week from the Paris Olympics as anger among seething publishing staff intensifies and historic strike action disrupts its newspapers.
While Sneesby's return to Australia is imminent, Nine’s chief sales officer Michael Stephenson and chief financial officer Matt Stanton both recently touched down in Paris, according to two people familiar with the company’s plans. The Nine executive team is travelling in shifts through the remainder of the Paris games, which conclude on 11 August, one of the people said.
Sneesby drew fierce criticism from staff last week after he was pictured carrying the Olympic torch in Paris as newspaper staff were preparing to strike after months of wage negotiations had stalled on the heels of a wave of 200 job cuts at the company. Up to 90 of those jobs will be cut from Nine’s publishing division, which houses The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Australian Financial Review.
The Nine CEO also refused to answer questions about the strike and his presence in Paris, where he had plans to stay for about 10 days with family, when confronted by a reporter from rival broadcaster Seven.
