RTÉ staff rebuke bosses on lack of pay review input
RTÉ staff have formally rebuked management over its review into pay and conditions at the station.
A motion adopted by trade union members yesterday expressed its “disappointment” that the review into issues such as gender, pay and equality was being carried out without an input from staff.
Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) also hit out at claims that broadcasters attached to the station’s digital radio channels are carrying out working “for free”.
Staff accused management of allowing a “casual ‘back door’ entrance for RTÉ employment” and said failure to properly remunerate staff for work on digital radio “runs counter to RTÉ’s equal opportunity employer policies”.
The meeting also adopted two other motions: one criticised the continued use of zero-hour contracts, while the other focused on the gap between gender pay.
As revealed yesterday, the committed pay review will not include the pay of its top earners.
This is because the terms of reference for the review state specifically that only “permanent or fixed-term contracts” will be included.
RTÉ came under fire when it emerged Sharon Ní Bheoláin was paid up to €80,000 less than colleague Bryan Dobson, who is moving to present ‘Morning Ireland’ on RTÉ Radio One.
The latest pay figures show Ryan Tubridy maintains his position as the best paid, with a salary of €495,000.
RTÉ denied claims of zero-hour contracts and said it is examining the issue of those working for digital radio.
But on the issue of gender pay, a spokesperson told the Irish Independent: “As previously confirmed, RTÉ is currently completing a review of role and gender equality across the organisation to determine where gaps may exist.
“The process is being independently overseen by former director general of the Workplace Relations Commission Kieran Mulvey.
“RTÉ has also committed to sharing the findings of this review in due course.
“In accordance with common practice, RTÉ is not in a position to comment further on the subject of this review until it has been concluded.
“As an equal opportunities employer with a close to 50/50 gender profile across the organisation, RTÉ takes its obligations very seriously.”