RTÉ workers to ballot for industrial action
A threat of industrial action hangs over RTÉ tonight after hundreds of workers backed calls for a ballot in a row regarding pension schemes.
Union members at the national broadcaster unanimously accepted the recommendation of the RTÉ Trade Union Executive in favour of a ballot for industrial action in support of the campaign for a better pension scheme for all workers.
The mass meeting was held at Montrose.
Two ballots will be held as there are two pension schemes at RTÉ, in addition to a gold-plated executive pension scheme.
The 1,200 employees in the defined contribution scheme, which carries no guarantee of a final pension amount, will be balloted for industrial action in pursuit of a better pension.
The 600 staff in the public service scheme will be balloted to support their colleagues seeking better pensions.
Mary Curtin, Secretary of RTÉ TUG, said that following the Easter break constituent unions will ballot for industrial action, up to and including strike action.
"After a 10-year campaign, members clearly feel that RTÉ is not engaging in a meaningful way on this issue," she said.
"Today's meeting should give a wake-up call to management and underline the anger and frustration of the majority of trade union members in RTÉ over the system of pension apartheid within the organisation."
RTÉ's director of communications Bride Rosney said the station fully respected the industrial relations machinery.
"We have already referred the pensions issue to the National Implementation Body (NIB)," she added.
Yesterday, a delegation from the union addressed a special meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources over the pension schemes.
