Members of Siptu, the trade union at the broadcaster RTÉ, have cautioned they will contest any attempts of outsourcing the production of their shows. These efforts, they see, are a move towards privatisation and the senior members of the union have declared lack of confidence in the RTÉ managers. The management plans to relocate the production of their main shows Fair City and the Late Late Show away from their Dublin base, Montrose. The trade union has asserted their aversion to the idea and are rendering efforts to push back. If forced by management, this dispute could escalate into a vote for industrial action, individuals close to the union have suggested. In a collective effort, a mediation group could be established soon to conduct discussions between the management and the union.
On the other hand, Siptu announced on a Friday that their RTÉ members are dedicated to preventing the outsourcing of the national broadcaster’s shows. Martin Mannion, a Siptu organiser, emphasised that their members will firmly oppose any initiative to outsource their roles at their disposal, describing the management’s plans to outsource productions and cut jobs as a ruthless shift towards privatising the station. Meanwhile, Siptu’s member and broadcast engineer Ciaran Kelly asserted that proposals that erode long-won employment conditions will not be entertained by staff who have pledged their working lives to the company, labelling such proposals as a blow to the station’s dedicated workforce.
Zac Sloper, the chairman of the Siptu RTÉ committee, expressed concerns about the broadcaster’s leadership. He highlighted a lack of trust in the existing managers, many of whom were present during recent calamities at the station. “We don’t believe these managers prioritise the broadcaster or its personnel,” he contended. Sloper accused the managers of poor decision-making, which he believes has led to an erosion of confidence in them. He also accused the organisation’s management of wasting license fee money in the past years, and putting their employees into financial jeopardy.
Sloper was emphatic that Siptu members won’t bear the financial consequences of the missteps of RTÉ management. He underscored that the union would be seeking discussions with the management to oppose their proposed plans. He further stated, “We are all incredibly dedicated, fervent, and take great honour in our roles”. He gave assurance that their primary concern is to safeguard the jobs of their members and future employment in the media sector.