AN INTERNAL row over staff pensions at RTÉ has intensified, after many employees at the station voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action on the issue.
Members of Siptu and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) voted for action up to and including a strike in a long running dispute at the State television and radio broadcaster about staff pension entitlements.
The disagreement centres on the defined contribution scheme which was introduced by the company about 20 years ago.
This scheme, which is dependent on the performance of the pension fund, replaced the older defined benefit scheme which guaranteed the level of pension payments.
The RTÉ trade union group - which includes Siptu, the NUJ and other smaller unions at the station - is seeking a "hybrid" pension scheme which would offer a certain level of defined or guaranteed pension payments on retirement.
The group says it has been campaigning for a fair pension deal for a decade, but senior management has failed to engage with the issue in a "meaningful" way and negotiate an acceptable settlement.
Mary Curtin, secretary of the trade union group, said its executive will meet early next week to decide on what implementation action will be taken following yesterday's ballot. She said the ballot vindicated the group as it was a strong endorsement of its "commitment to get RTÉ to produce a serious offer on the pension issues". The dispute could potentially involve strike action, but nobody is planning a complete walkout in the immediate future, Ms Curtin said.
In a statement last night, a spokeswoman for RTÉ said senior management has been committed to "ensuring decent pensions for staff" but this would be within the confines of reasonable financial prudence.
About 1,200 employees are part of the defined contribution scheme and 600 workers are involved in the older guaranteed scheme.
RTÉ's corporate spokeswoman Bride Rosney said last night that in February, the RTÉ Industrial Relations Tribunal (IRT) recommended that both RTÉ and the union group should jointly invoke the assistance of the National Implementation Body as the latter is a fundamental part of the industrial relations machinery of the State and is the appropriate mechanism to deliver a full and final resolution to this complex matter.
She said RTÉ accepted the recommendation of the IRT but the union group decided to hold a ballot for industrial action and did not agree to a joint referral to the implementation body. RTÉ hope that as there is now a mandate for industrial action, the union group will consider calling on the assistance of the implementation body, Ms Rosney said.
"Pensions have been a major focus of attention in RTÉ since the year 2000," she said, adding "it is incumbent on both sides to use the industrial relations machinery of the State to resolve the issue".