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."

"If these review dates in the past have occurred at the same time, it is due to the coincidence of the union increases and AWA increases falling at the same time, not as part of any negotiated or agreed approach. It is our general practice to ensure employees on an AWA/ITEA are not disadvantaged overall, where one compares the provisions of an AWA/ITEA and the award/EBA. This has never meant 'EBA gets 3.5% from 1 January' therefore 'AWA must get 3.5% from 1 January' in any of our businesses across the entire country."

Any News Limited staff who want to get off their AWA or ITEA should contact corrine.younan@alliance.org.au