The public service union Impact has accused RTE of "gagging" its members in the dispute over who reads weather forecasts. The union says an invitation to its assistant general secretary, Mr David Hughes, to outline its case on Today at 5 was withdrawn because RTE management would have to be given an opportunity to reply.
"RTE have exercised editorial control to quash a serious complaint about themselves," Mr Hughes said yesterday. Impact is objecting to an RTE decision to have the early morning weather forecast on radio read by its own staff, rather than the Meteorological Service forecasters who prepare it.