Journalists at broadcaster STV Group PLC have walked out on strike for a second time this year in a dispute over pay.
The action by National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members at STV across Scotland will disrupt news programming on Wednesday, with the flagship STV News At Six programme due to be replaced by Sean’s Scotland, and network show Peston aired in place of Scotland Tonight.
The NUJ is seeking a 6% pay rise for members to ‘keep pace with inflation’ during the cost-of-living crisis.
STV has said such an increase is ‘unrealistic and unaffordable’.
The strike, which coincides with the broadcaster’s annual general meeting, comes after union members walked out for 24 hours on March 28 and the latest pay offer put forward by the company was rejected by staff.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland, said: ‘While the company showed willingness to engage with us to find a resolution to this dispute, it is disappointing that once again our journalists are having to head out of the newsrooms and into the shareholder AGM to find out answers to resolve this dispute.
‘While the company tells us that a fair rise of 6% to keep pace with inflation is unaffordable, they have no problem with paying shareholders a 7% bonus, or a vastly inflated wage for Chief Executive Simon Pitts. As shareholders, we will be asking the board why.
‘A tiny fraction of Simon Pitt’s bonus would be enough to resolve this dispute for all 90 of the newsroom’s staff and still leave him paid vastly more than the director-general of the BBC – an organisation that is over 45 times larger than STV.’
Journalists were on the picket line at STV’s headquarters in Glasgow on Wednesday morning.
They held banners calling for ‘Fair pay for journalists’ and ‘Fair pay now’.
An STV spokesperson said: ‘We’re disappointed that following discussions and an enhanced offer being made, members of the NUJ have decided to proceed with strike action on May 1.
‘We understand that almost half of NUJ members voted to accept the enhanced offer, which included a bonus payment for all STV staff.
‘We remain open to further dialogue. but the NUJ’s claim for an above-inflation pay increase of 6% – nearly twice the current level of inflation – is unrealistic and unaffordable.
‘We have made clear that we will not agree a separate deal for NUJ members in excess of the award for all colleagues, and we maintain that our pay offer is both fair and financially responsible in the current economic climate.
‘Alternative programming will be in place of news output.’
The broadcaster also denied shareholder dividends had risen by 7%, insisting they remained flat in 2023.
STV shares were 0.4% higher at 240.00 pence each on Wednesday afternoon in London.
By Lucinda Cameron, PA Scotland
Press Association: Finance
source: PA
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