THE proposed new national radio station could face industrial action from day one if no agreement is reached with the National Union of Journalists.
The NUJ has warned the Independent Radio and Television Commission that it will consider all options, including industrial action, if there is no collective agreement on pay and conditions.
It is believed that the NUJ Irish secretary, Mr Eoin Ronayne, wrote to the chief executive of the IRTC, Mr Michael O'Keeffe, informing him that, following the problems it experienced with the local commercial radio sector, the union was determined to get it right from the beginning with national radio.
The IRTC is holding public hearings on Monday at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin, and the five applicants will make a presentation and answer questions.
A number of IRTC members have insisted that the correspondence from Mr Ronayne be circulated to all members prior to the hearings. This would indicate that pay and conditions will form a central part of the commission's questioning.
Mr Ronayne has also written to all the applicants seeking a commitment to open talks with a view to reaching an agreement.
The chief executive of Scottish Radio, Mr James Gordon, heading the National FM consortium, said he would negotiate an agreement bit that was the wish of the staff. Mr Dermot Hanrahan, chief executive of Dublin's FM 104, who is part of the Ireland 100 consortium that includes The Irish Times, Virgin Radio and Downtown Radio, confirmed his organisation would conclude an agreement prior to starting up. Mr Colm Conaill, of Cork 96 FM, which has no agreement with the NUJ, said he would meet Mr Roayne for discussions.
The most positive reply came form Radio Ireland, which includes media and music industry interests. It told the NUJ that it would encourage staff to join appropriate unions. Energy Radio, headed by 98 FM in Dublin, has not replied to the NUJ.
IRTC sources have confirmed that staff pay and conditions will be central in the contracts for local stations coming up for renewal during the next 18 months.
It is believed that the NUJ has said that while it is willing to take a "softly softly" approach to reaching agreements on pay and conditions with local radio, no such approach will be allowed with national radio.
Monday's hearings will last all day and a decision will be made by the spring.