Union says tá to RnaG pay deal
NUJ members at the Irish language station Raidió na Gaeltachta (RnaG) have welcomed an agreement with RTÉ, marking the end of an unfair two-tier pay system within Irish public service broadcasting through the assimilation of staff onto the standard RTÉ radio grading structure.
Under terms put forward by RTÉ in an industrial relations tribunal (IRT), improvements have been made to a structure put forward by management. The chapel voted tá (yes) to the new agreement, which allows all RnaG staff to benefit from two incremental payments in June of this year.
The NUJ and sister union SIPTU had referred the case to the tribunal to secure improvements to a transfer scheme unilaterally announced by director general Kevin Backhurst in 2024.
Both unions felt that the scheme did not go far enough in addressing the inequitable system in operation since the Irish language service started in 1972.
Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish secretary, said:
“There was never justification for paying journalists in RnaG differently because they were working through the Irish language.
“The notion of a different structure to sister station RTÉ Radio One, has long been opposed by the union and the chapel has never given up on its objective of assimilation.
“The intervention of the director general, although welcome, came without consultation on the practical implications of how staff would be transferred to the RTÉ Radio One structure and some improvements were achieved through local discussions. Grading structures are always complex and sufficient consideration was not given to how fairness might be achieved in addressing long-term inequalities that disadvantaged Gaelic language speakers.
“The NUJ engaged in negotiations and sought the assistance of the industrial relations tribunal.
“As a result of the tribunal recommendation, all staff will receive a new increment, on top of what was already agreed in negotiations. This is a positive outcome and is a tribute to the tenacity of the chapel officers and negotiating team.
“I am especially pleased that the IRT has recognised that long-serving members close to retirement should have their position reviewed separately.
“This small group, who, because of age and service, deserve to reach the top of the new scale applying to RnaG staff, and this now forms part of the final piece of protracted negotiations.
“RnaG is a jewel in the crown of RTÉ, and it is appropriate that in the centenary of Irish radio we can finally ensure a fairer structure for RnaG journalists.”
//
Vótáil tá do Raidió na Gaeltachta socra íocaíochta
Tá baill NUJ ag an stáisiún raidió Gaeilge, Raidió na Gaeltachta (RnaG), tar éis fáilte a chur roimh chomhaontú le RTÉ a chuireann deireadh le córas éagórach íocaíochta dhá leibhéal laistigh de sheirbhís phoiblí craolacháin na hÉireann tré asamhlú na fóirne go dtí an struchtúr caighdeánta grádála raidió RTÉ.
Faoi téarmaí atá curtha chun tosaigh ag Bínse Caidrimh Thionscail (BCT) RTÉ, tá feabhsuithe déanta ar struchtúr a cuireadh chun tosaigh ag an mbainistíocht.
Ligeann an comhaontú d’fhoireann iomlán RnaG leas a bhaint as dhá íocaíocht incriminte i mí an Mheithimh i mbliana.
Sheol an NUJ agus an deirfiúr-ceardchumann, SIPTU, an cás chuig an Bínse Caidrimh Thionscail chun feabhsuithe a chinntiú ar scéim aistrithe a fógraíodh go haontaobhach ag an Stiúrthóir Ginearálta, Kevin Backhurst, i 2024.
Bhí an dá cheardchumann den tuairim nach ndearna siad go leor chun dul i ngleic leis an gcóras éagórach atá i bhfeidhm ó thosaigh an tseirbhís Ghaeilge sa bhliain 1972.
Dúirt Séamus Dooley, Rúnaí na hÉireann:
“Ní raibh cúis riamh ann a mhalairt a íoc le iriseoirí RnaG toisc go raibh siad ag obair trín nGaeilge.
“Tá coincheap struchtúir atá éagsúl ar deirfiúr-stáisiún, RTÉ Radio One, diúltaithe le fada ag an gceardchumann, agus níor chaill an tseipéal riamh a chuspóir maidir le asamhlú.
Cé gur cuireadh fáilte roimhe, bhí idirghabháil an Stiúrthóra Ginearálta, gan aon chomhairliúchán maidir leis na hiarmhairtí praiticiúla ar conas go n-aistreofaí an fhoireann chuig struchtúr RTÉ Radio One agus baineadh roinnt feabhsuithe amach trí phlé áitiúil. Tá struchtúir grádála casta i gcónaí agus níor tugadh a dhóthain machtnamh ar conas a d’fhéadfaí cothroime a bhaint amach nuair a dhéileáiltear le héagothroime fhadtéarmach.
“Rinne SIPTU agus an NUJ idirbheartaíocht agus lorgaíodh cúnamh an Bínse Caidrimh Thionscail.
“Mar thoradh ar mholadh an BCT, gheobhaidh gach ball foirne incrimint nua, os cionn a raibh aontaithe cheana san idirbheartaíoch. Is toradh dearfach é seo agus tá moladh ag dul do dhíograis oifigigh an tseipéil agus an fhoireann idirbheartaíochta.
“Tá áthas orm go háirithe go bhfuil an BCT tar éis aitheantas a thabhairt gur gá déileáil leis na baill a bhfuil seirbhís fhada acu agus atá gar do dhul ar scor ar bhealach ann féin.
“Tá sé tuillte ag an ngrúpa beag seo, toisc a gcuid seirbhíse agus aois, barr an scála nua a bhaint amach atá i bhfeidhm d’fhoireann RnaG agus is é seo an t-aon chuid den idirbheartaíocht fadálach seo atá fágtha.
“Is é an tseod is luachmhaire ag RTÉ é RnaG agus tá sé cuí le linn comóradh céad bliain raidió in Éirinn gur féidir linn struchtúr níos cothroime a chinntiú do iriseoirí RnaG.”