Media

Siptu will oppose any move to outsource RTÉ programmes ‘by all means at their disposal’

Sources suggest group could be established to oversee talks as senior union figures say staff have no confidence in management

Shooting a Fair City scene in the fictional Carrigstown on the RTÉ campus. Photograph: Eric Luke
Shooting a Fair City scene in the fictional Carrigstown on the RTÉ campus. Photograph: Eric Luke
Martin Wall
Fri Jun 28 2024 - 14:25

Members of trade union Siptu in RTÉ will oppose “by all necessary means” any attempts to outsource the production of shows made by the broadcaster, the trade union has warned.

Senior union figures on Friday also said that members did not have confidence in the RTÉ managers.

Management at RTÉ earlier this week set out plans to move the production of flagship programmes Fair City and the Late Late Show from its Montrose base in Dublin.

Siptu said its members viewed the initiative as a move towards privatisation and have vowed to fight the plan.

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Sources close to the trade union movement at the broadcaster said on Friday that if attempts were made to force such plans through by management it could lead to a ballot for industrial action. But the situation is not at that point.

Some sources have suggested that a joint facilitation group could be established in the coming weeks which would involve talks between the management and trade unions.

Meanwhile, on Friday Siptu said that its members at RTÉ had “committed themselves to opposing any attempt to outsource the production of shows currently produced by the national broadcaster to the private sector”.

Siptu organiser Martin Mannion said: “At a meeting of the Siptu RTÉ committee on Thursday it was decided that union members will oppose any move to outsource their work by all means at their disposal. RTÉ management’s proposals to cut jobs and outsource productions, such as the Late, Late Show and Fair City, are being forced on staff without consultation with them or their union. Rather than a considered response to the crisis facing RTÉ what we are witnessing is a cynical move by management towards the privatisation of the station.”

Siptu member and broadcast engineer Ciaran Kelly, said: “This is a company that staff have given their working lives to. If management believes that it will be allowed to erode conditions of employment that were long fought for and hard-won it is seriously mistaken. These proposals amount to a kick in the teeth to the ordinary workers at the station. The staff affected by this proposal are the very people who have always given 100 per cent and gone the extra mile to ensure that programmes were made and got to air.”

He added: “We are all very committed, passionate and proud of our jobs. Rather than value us, management is expecting us to pay for its gross misgovernance and waste of licence fee money over recent years.”

Siptu RTÉ committee chairman Zac Sloper said the problem at the broadcaster was “brought about by bad management decisions and practices. Siptu members do not have confidence in the current managers of the station, many of whom were in place during the recent fiascos. We do not believe they have the best interests of RTÉ or its staff at heart.

“Siptu members will not be left to pay the price for problems created by RTÉ management. Our union will be seeking meetings with RTÉ management to raise our opposition to its proposals. We will ensure that changes are made to protect our members’ jobs and future jobs within the media industry.”

Martin Wall

Martin Wall

Martin Wall is the former Washington Correspondent of The Irish Times. He was previously industry correspondent