No RTÉ staff will be paid more than a quarter of a million euro a year under a cost-cutting plan.
The national broadcaster has this afternoon released its new strategic vision.
As part of RTÉ's new strategic development plan, no staff at the national broadcaster can earn more than the Director General Kevin Bakhurst, who currently earns around €250,000 a year.
It means the likes of Joe Duffy, Claire Byrne and Miriam O’Callaghan will be facing a reduction in their salaries.
The plan also outlines the workforce at the organisation will be cut by 20% - that will mean 400 job losses between 2024 and 2028.
While in the short-term, 40 positions will be cut.
The voluntary redundancy scheme will target those who earn over €100,000 a year.
Emergency motion on RTE 🚨
The 'New Direction' announced in recent days amounts to a cost-cutting, outsourcing agenda underpinned by the slashing of jobs that the trade union movement cannot and will not stand for.#WeAreSIPTU #Unionise pic.twitter.com/NjTglGNuQC
— SIPTU (@SIPTU) November 14, 2023
"Credible" Response
The Public Expenditure Minister, Pascal Donohue, has described the plan as a "credible response" to the "difficulties" RTÉ faced this year.
However the Minister said they key thing now is the delivery of this plan.
"The first phase he [Kevin Bakhurst] has to go through is engagement with his own organisation."
Union Response
SIPTU has called for the job losses announced by RTÉ to be reversed.
Divisional Organiser, Teresa Hannick, is calling on the broadcaster to, "to engage with trade unions to find a new approach which defends jobs, working conditions and quality public service broadcasting."
An emergency motion at the union conference in Galway described the approach as a "slash and burn" reaction.
"The 'New Direction' amounts to a cost-cutting, outsourcing agenda underpinned by the slashing of jobs that the trade union movement cannot and will not stand for," the motion said.
