RTÉ staff may hear more on cuts today

RTÉ STAFF are today likely to find out more details about the cuts the broadcaster intends to make to close a €25 million deficit.

The Trade Union Group (TUG) and RTÉ management will meet this morning to discuss the details of cutbacks which will be needed to ensure the broadcaster breaks even by the end of next year.

In March, RTÉ director general Noel Curran described the broadcaster’s financial position as “not sustainable”. He warned that there would be need for “difficult decisions and changes in the short and medium term” to deal with the deficit.

Of the €25 million in cuts, €15 million will come from a further staff voluntary scheme. That would be the equivalent of more than 200 redundancies, although the numbers could be mitigated by savings in allowances, shift payments and overtime.

The position of four regional studios in Waterford, Dundalk, Athlone and Sligo, which are under threat of closure, may become clearer after today’s meeting.

After Mr Curran made his announcement in March, RTÉ management has been working on a blueprint to get the necessary savings. These will include a fresh programme of redundancies, new work-practice negotiations and a reduction in regional spend.

RTÉ has stressed that today’s meeting is for briefing purposes in order to update the trade unions on the overall financial position. Negotiations are not likely for a number of weeks and no formal announcement is expected.

However, TUG secretary Mary Curtin said RTÉ was expected to “lay out its stall about what it thinks might happen. I expect we will get details section by section, area by area, IBD [independent business division] by IBD,” she said.

She anticipated that some of the details which would be made available would help staff make up their minds on whether they should look at taking the most recent early retirement package on offer.

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte has given RTÉ support in its cost-cutting proposals. He said the deficit this year would be €50 million when redundancy costs were taken into account, a figure he described as “unconscionable”.