SIPTU representatives have warned that the Union will give immediate effect to its existing industrial action mandate if cuts to funding for RTÉ result in compulsory redundancies or further outsourcing of core roles at the national broadcaster.
SIPTU Services Divisional Organiser, Adrian Kane, said: “Our members have already made their position crystal clear. They will not accept a future for RTÉ built around cuts to employment, compulsory redundancies and the continued outsourcing of work that should be carried out by the national broadcaster’s own staff.
“If this funding cut results in compulsory redundancies or further outsourcing, SIPTU will immediately action the mandate provided by our members for industrial action, up to and including strike action.
He added: “RTÉ cannot be treated as a line item in the Government’s budget. It is Ireland’s national public service broadcaster and its future must be determined by a clear public policy vision, not by a series of short-term political decisions.”
SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Greg Ennis, said: “Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, appears to be moving the goalposts for these decisions as he goes along. First, we were told that RTÉ had failed to meet reform targets. Now the explanation is that the broadcaster is being forced to deal with budgetary constraints.
“The Government needs to be upfront and honest with RTÉ workers and the public about what its actual plans are for the national broadcaster. This is not simply an issue of balancing the books. It goes to the heart of the independence and future of public service broadcasting in Ireland. A national broadcaster cannot operate effectively if its funding and future are subject to constantly shifting political demands.
“Instead of trying to get culture cards off the ground, the Minister should focus on honouring agreements already reached and delivering a sustainable funding model for RTÉ. The organisation needs certainty, investment and a clear long-term strategy, not political gimmicks.”
He added: “The future of RTÉ should not be about reducing the national broadcaster to a smaller organisation increasingly dependent on outsourced production. It should be about ensuring that Ireland has a strong, independent public service broadcaster capable of serving the public and supporting high-quality employment in the media sector.”