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RTÉ AND THE RTÉ Trade Union Group (TUG) have reached agreement on a proposed 6% pay increase over two years.
The proposals will now go to a ballot of union’s members.
If approved, staff would receive a 3% increase in January, backdated to 26 December, a 1.5% increase in October 2023 and a further 1.5% in April 2024.
A non-taxable voucher of up to €1,000 would be issued in early 2023 as well as a second voucher of €500 the following January.
The vouchers will be scaled in line with the percentage of full-time hours worked by staff and divided into separate brackets, it’s understood.
Staff members working 60% or more of annual full-time hours for the year of 2022 will receive the full payment, while those working between 20 and 59% of full-time hours will receive €600.
It’s understood that RTÉ and the TUG have also agreed to implement monthly pay for all employees in 2023.
In May, unions lodged a claim for a 9.5% pay increase for staff.
Martin Mannion, an organiser with SIPTU, told The Journal that it was hoped the ballot on the pay increase could take place before the end of the year.
“It would be nice for them to know before Christmas. Even if they know they won’t be getting the extra money in their pay packet for Christmas at least they know it’s coming in the new year,” he said.
“I’m sure that there’ll be some people who won’t be happy with what we’ve achieved.
“But once we get an opportunity to explain it to them – we’re holding a number of townhall meetings and video conferencing calls - the rationale of how we got to where we are in the perspective of not having a pay deal for the previous 14 years and the financial constraints that RTÉ are under, people will understand.”
“This is a realistic increase in pay for them over the next couple of years, and hopefully going forward from it set the tone that we will be getting back to annual pay increases.”
In a joint statement, RTÉ and the TUG said the agreement sought to achieve a fair balance that recognised the pay restraint in RTÉ since 2008as well as the cost-of-living increases on staff.
The agreement also acknowledges “RTÉ’s own financial position within a highly disrupted media sector and its obligations to sustain employment, public service programming and its commitments to audiences,” according to the statement.
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Nice to see a thriving profitable company rewarding their staff…
Sinead O’ Connor summed Rte up very well a while back. They play the same music and movies today as they did when she was a child
@Michael: Christmas movies?
@Michael: that they always do. Some programmes three times a year or more, great station.
@Michael: They’ve also given her plenty of air time over the years.
Wait for it. The lovely Dee will be out again looking for another licence fee increase to cover this. Always moaning for more money and not worth watching or listening to any of their channels
@Declan Moran: I think I caught something on the radio earlier that they want to charge ALL households a broadcasting charge even if you don’t have a TV!!
@Lydia McLoughlin: yup… Richard Bruton was on newstalk this morning with pat Kenny about it… look at that for timing…. https://www.newstalk.com/news/anachronistic-tv-license-urgently-needs-reform-bruton-1406167
@Lydia McLoughlin: yep, saw an article where Micheal Martin said he’d be in favour of a levy to be paid by every house. Bloody bonkers
@ash doyle: I’m really sick and tired of these measures and propositions for revenue to stick its hand in my pocket and continue to take money for nothing … taxed to the hilt, property tax taken for nothing and now proposal for it to take money to prop up a broadcaster that overpays its broadcasters for what you wonder half the time, crappy repetitive programmes .. this on top of every other tax thats taken off us!
I heard on radio this morning they were talking about bringing in a tax to fund RTE, collected by revenue. Nobody even questioned the notion that people should be forced to pay for a product that they don’t use or want to use.
@Damon16: well they tried to tax water services based on usage. People didn’t like that approach either.
@Cullen Cullen: why sure people already pay for water through taxation (car tax even). And the majority would be happy to pay more if Irish water was guaranteed to stay in public ownership.
This is why the Irish water protests worked.
If you work 60% of your annual hours you are entitled to the bonus of 1500 yoyo. Not to mention the incremental increases……..I need to join this union, they are playing a blinder
As a product, is RTE or any terrestrial station worth it? This in tbe well-dawned era of the internet, streaming services and legal downloads.
Traditional, as RTE and terrestrial television in general is, is a phrase generally mis-used depending on ones justifications. Terrestrial Tv these days is generally the lazy default noise in the background in lieu of watching quality entertainment elsewhere, I would argue. I could live with RTE being downsized big time…as I wouldn’t notice one iota. Re: TV license fee…. Isn’t there something about RTE breaking EU laws showing adverts and charging a license fee? But as the EU fine is less, it’s profitable to ignore the EU, pay the fine and charge the fee. I’m not stating this as an accusation of fact, I just heard it bandied about.
In fairness lads, really tough times; so please be empathetic and compassionate for the people who need it the most {heart}. The staff at RTÉ really need our support right now. Nothing else matters.
@Cat K.: LoL
Neck.
Well I hope they get it sooner rather than much later like health care workers.
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