It is a relief to hear that the ABC management has engaged law firm Seyfarth Shaw to defend itself against a self-absorbed Gen Zed prima donna who just had to flap out her unasked-for views on the Gaza issue while at work with the ABC. She could not manage to keep her mouth shut despite being warned.
The ABC reported that Seyfarth Shaw was among “the most egregious union-busting law firms”, and had a reputation for representing management “very aggressively when it comes to issues of employees who are alleging discrimination due to race or gender”.
Three cheers.
A good part of the Australian population is sick to death of people reaching for the race card, or the gender card, when things don’t work out for them.
The ABC management told Lattouf not to ‘post on social media about matters of controversy during the short period she was presenting.’ Thinking her opinions were of the utmost importance, she ignored the directions. She was justifiably taken off air. Thus the Gen Zed tantrum that will tie up loads of ABC money, earn her lawyers a packet, and promote Antoinette’s social media presence.
The decision to engage an attack-dog law firm pleased me for a second reason. David Anderson, the ABC’s Managing Director, faced down a crowd of ABC union members who had passed a no-confidence vote in him.
It’s about time the ABC management took back the management of the ABC from the various woke political cliques that use the billion-dollar government-funded ABC to air their green-left views, destroy the ideologically unapproved, and pursue their particular green-left campaigns.
*****
ABC hires ‘notoriously anti-worker’ US law firm, Seyfarth Shaw, in Antoinette Lattouf unlawful dismissal case
ABC Investigations / Exclusive by Josh Robertson, 30 Jan 2024
abc.net.au/news/abc-hires-seyfarth-shaw-in-lattouf-unlawful-dismissal-case/103394616Copy link
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- In short: The ABC has hired Seyfarth Shaw, a US law firm with a reputation for anti-union practices, to defend it in a high-profile unlawful dismissal case.
- Seyfarth Shaw has represented major corporations in worker lawsuits against Amazon, Starbucks, and Apple.
- What’s next? The next hearing for the case is set for March 8.
The ABC has been accused of playing “hardball” by hiring a “notoriously anti-worker” law firm from the US to defend a high-profile unlawful dismissal case involving journalist Antoinette Lattouf.
ABC Investigations can reveal the national broadcaster is being represented by Seyfarth Shaw, which has a decades-long reputation for anti-union practices in the US, to act in the Fair Work Commission matter against Ms Lattouf.
The move has prompted criticism from the journalists’ union which says the broadcaster is sending the “wrong message” in a case that has generated international attention.
Ms Lattouf alleges the ABC unlawfully sacked her in the middle of a five-day radio presenting contract in Sydney in December after pressure from pro-Israel lawyers.
The Lebanese-Australian journalist was taken off air after she shared a social media post from Human Rights Watch accusing Israel of starving civilians in Gaza “as a weapon of war”.
Media reports have revealed a private campaign involving pro-Israel lawyers who allegedly wrote to ABC chair Ita Buttrose and managing director David Anderson, demanding Ms Lattouf’s sacking and threatening legal action.
Ms Lattouf alleges her unlawful dismissal also involved discrimination on the basis of race and political opinion.
The ABC has rejected her claim and is seeking to have the case thrown out.
John Logan, a labour studies expert at San Francisco State University, said the ABC’s engagement of Seyfarth Shaw was “a sign that you’re in for a very tough, aggressive fight from management”.