Informed NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE issue 29 Dec 2019 Stride of pride: Samir Ahmed and supporters march to her employment tribunal. Read the inside story in Michelle’s message p4 Resist RTÉ cuts


“It’s your RTÉ, Save It” demands the NUJ’s campaign to secure the future of Ireland’s public service broadcaster. It is the union’s response to plans unveiled in the first week in November to slash 18% from the broadcaster’s annual expenditure over three years. RTÉ management proposal affects


around 200 jobs, and plans to reduce some salaries by15%.


Speaking at the Irish Delegate


Conference in Dublin, general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “RTÉ workers and the Irish people have been let down by their public representatives and by their employer. Teir future is in the hands of a Government which has shown no willingness to support public service broadcasting and an employer who expects their staff to carry the can for management failure to


Also in this issue:


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present a realistic, strategic plan for the organisation.” Te NUJ says the slogan “It’s Your RTÉ,


Save It” (in Irish, “Leatsa é RTÉ, Sábháil é) will drive home the message that RTÉ belongs to the people of Ireland and must be saved in the public interest. Te Irish Congress of Trades Unions and general union Siptu are also pledged to support. Séamus Dooley, Irish Secretary said: “Tere is a financial crisis in RTÉand both An Taoiseach and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment must give leadership on this issue. We are seeking cross-


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party support for RTÉ and Fianna Fáil have a particular responsibility as it is supporting the minority Fine Gael government.” Dooley explained that the NUJ was not looking for a hand out, merely demanding that the Government honour its commitment to public service broadcasting and to the Irish people. “As we enter into negotiations with RTÉ I am conscious that even if every unrealistic cost-reduction plan floated by RTÉ management were implemented the organisation cannot be saved without State intervention.” RTÉ executives have


called this a ‘defining moment’ in the 93-year-old broadcast service’s history and blamed the crisis on the widespread refusal to pay Ireland’s tv licence.


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Jess Hurd


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