RTE workers have been given a €1,000 voucher to help with the cost of living just weeks after it was revealed its top earner Ryan Tubridy was paid €440,000 in 2021.
It has emerged the station is spending €1.5million providing gift vouchers for its 1,600 staff which is around €100,000 less than the total of €1.7million paid to its top five earners. Although they have taken pay cuts in solidarity with listeners, the total paid to star broadcasters such as Ray D’Arcy and Claire Byrne in 2021 was well more than €2.7million, who are independent contractors paid through their own limited companies.
The vouchers are aimed at helping the station’s workers meet the cost of living and as means of mitigating pay restraint.
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The national broadcaster, which has been engaged in massive cost-cutting plans, is aiming to reduce its spending by up to €60million over a three-year period due to concerns about its financial position. In a statement, RTE said a voucher of up to €1,000 has already been issued and another one valued up to €500 is due next January.
The statement added: “RTE and the Trade Union Group asked the RTE Industrial Relations Tribunal to assist with discussions on the matter of pay and the TUG pay claim in 2022. Agreement was reached on proposed components of a pay increase and other terms and conditions as negotiated at conciliation under the auspices of the IRT.
“The agreement reached seeks to achieve a fair balance – recognising the pay restraint in RTE since 2008 and being responsive now to the impact of substantial cost of living increases on RTE staff and their families – while at the same time acknowledging RTE’s own financial position within a highly disrupted media sector and its obligations to sustain employment, public service programming and its commitments to audiences.
“As part of the agreement, a non-taxable voucher of up to €1,000 was issued to RTÉ staff and a further voucher of €500 will issue in January 2024.
“These vouchers are aimed at RTE employees who worked in RTE during 2022 and who are in employment with RTE on 31/12/2022. This proposal was approved by ballot.”
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