Carlton sacking is illegal, union claims
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Sacked this morning: Mike Carlton (Getty Images: Patrick Riviere, file photo)
The federal secretary of the journalist's union says the decision to sack Fairfax columnist Mike Carlton is illegal.
Mr Carlton's contract was terminated this morning after he refused to write his weekly column for the weekend paper because it coincided with industrial action.
Fairfax journalists across the country are on strike until Monday in protest at the company's plans to cut 550 jobs from its operations in Australia and New Zealand.
Chris Warren from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance says the move is an astounding escalation in the industrial dispute.
"It's more than just an unfortunate instance when you dismiss someone for taking part in strike action - it's illegal to dismiss people for taking part in strike action," he said.
But the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, Alan Oakley, has refused to be drawn on the legality of the sacking.
"He's an independent contractor and I know of no fine tradition ... where columnists haven't filed in the past, the majority have and will and have for this weekend," he said.
Mr Oakley says the job losses will not affect the quality of journalism, as most cuts will be in production.
"Technology has allowed us to make improvements," he said.
"There are other ways in which we can produce the paper in a more cost-effective way, as papers around the world are doing.
"This is about protecting the news gathering part of the paper."
