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| MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) | |
|---|---|
| Name | MEAA |
| Formation | 1992 |
| Type | Trade union and professional association |
| Headquarters | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Membership | Arts and media professionals |
| Region served | Australia |
MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) is an Australian trade union and professional association representing performers, journalists, media workers and creative practitioners. It emerged from mergers of earlier unions and operates in industrial advocacy, professional standards, and member services across film, television, radio, theatre and print. The organisation engages with employers, courts and regulatory bodies to secure contracts, rights and protections for workers associated with outlets like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Seven Network, Nine Network, and companies such as News Corp Australia.
The organisation traces roots to antecedent unions including the Actors' Equity Association, Australian Journalists' Association, and the Australian Theatrical and Amusement Employees' Association, which intersected with institutions like the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Trades Hall Council, and heritage bodies including the Performing Arts Museum and National Film and Sound Archive. Key events in its evolution involved negotiations influenced by legislation such as the Fair Work Act and controversies linked to corporations like Fairfax Media, Foxtel, and Paramount Australia. Milestones involved high-profile disputes and collaborations with cultural institutions such as the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Theatre Company, National Gallery of Victoria, and State Library of New South Wales.
The organisation's governance incorporates an elected federal council, state branches in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, and specialist sections for actors, journalists, and musicians. Internal governance interacts with tribunals like the Fair Work Commission, industrial courts, and peak bodies such as Screen Producers Australia, Australian Writers' Guild, Actors Equity Australia, and Musicians' Union affiliates. Leadership roles mirror structures in unions represented by figures from bodies like the Australian Council of Trade Unions and have engaged with political actors across the Australian Labor Party and crossbench senators in the Parliament of Australia.
Members include professional cohorts working for outlets and organisations such as the ABC, SBS, Nine Network, Seven Network, Network Ten, Guardian Australia, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, regional broadcasters, independent production companies, and performing companies including Sydney Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare. Individual members have also participated in festivals like the Adelaide Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, and Brisbane Festival, and institutions including the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Victorian College of the Arts, Australian Film Television and Radio School, and Australian Writers' Guild.
The organisation conducts collective bargaining with employers including production companies, broadcasters, and publishers, bringing matters before the Fair Work Commission and engaging with peak industry groups such as Free TV Australia, Commercial Radio Australia, and Screen Producers Australia. Campaigns have intersected with high-profile industrial disputes involving corporations like News Corp, ABC management, Netflix Australia, Disney, and Sony Pictures. It has lobbied federal lawmakers in the Parliament of Australia, engaged commissioners from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and coordinated with international counterparts including the International Federation of Journalists and Actors’ Equity branches in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.
It maintains codes and ethical frameworks for journalists, performers and media practitioners, aligning with standards referenced by institutions such as the Australian Press Council, Australian Communications and Media Authority, Walkley Foundation, and Human Rights Commission. Professional guidelines address issues encountered in environments like court reporting in Supreme Courts, parliamentary press galleries, film sets under Screen Australia accreditation, and live theatre venues such as the Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House.
Members access legal support for contract disputes, negotiating services relevant to agreements with agents, broadcasters and production companies, as well as training run in partnership with educational institutions including the Australian Film Television and Radio School, National Institute of Dramatic Art, and universities like the University of Melbourne and University of Sydney. Benefits include industrial representation in proceedings before the Fair Work Commission, insurance arrangements comparable to those used by performing bodies like Opera Australia, and professional development opportunities at events such as the Melbourne International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, and Tropfest.
The organisation has been central to campaigns and disputes with major media entities and cultural institutions, including high-profile actions around editorial independence involving ABC management, negotiated outcomes with News Corp Australia and Fairfax Media, and contract standoffs affecting productions at companies like Screen Australia-funded projects and independent studios. Prominent industrial actions have drawn attention from federal politicians, unions such as the Australian Workers' Union and Communications Workers Union, and media commentators associated with programs on the ABC, SBS and commercial networks, as well as coverage in outlets like The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review and The Guardian Australia.
Category:Trade unions in Australia Category:Entertainment industry unions Category:Journalism organizations in Australia