RTÉ to let go fewer than half of redundancy applicants

RTÉ has confirmed that fewer than half of those who applied for the current redundancy package in a bid to slash €10 million in payroll costs will be let go by the end of this year.

Additional redundancies in the early part of 2012 will be drawn from the 243 who have already applied.

Earlier this year, the national broadcaster said it would consider around 80 voluntary redundancies. All successful applicants will receive payments in line with pay that was earned pre-annual cuts.

Staff have already had pay cuts of up to 12.5% as part of payroll savings when the station forecast a €768m shortfall in its revenue in 2009. RTÉ faces a deficit of €717m this year.

Staff rejected plans agreed with unions to slash their holidays by two and a half days. The cuts were agreed to compensate the station for agreeing to resume paying increments to more than 600 staff. An Industrial Relations Tribunal (IRT) hearing is due to take place on November 24.

Last month, RTÉ director general Noel Curran said the huge response to the voluntary scheme gave RTÉ an opportunity to increase the number of redundancies.

He said further substantial cost reductions would be required next year to break even in 2013.

Sources within the national broadcaster have said it is widely felt that more employees would have applied for the package if they had known that they could leave next year as part of the same deal.

However, in a statement RTÉ said that they could not “anticipate such matters at this time as the first phase is still in progress”.

All employees who have applied, whether for the under-55 package or the package geared towards those aged over 55, have been informed whether their applications were successful of not.

Applications have been approved for employees working across a range of areas. It is understood that HR and administration may have been the most successful in their applications,

RTÉ have denied that some sections have been targeted over others for approval of applications.

The station would not name any high-profile names among those who have applied.

Staff taking voluntary redundancy will receive up to six weeks’ pay per year of service, capped at 130 weeks, based on their salary before cuts in 2009.

Staff over 55 taking early retirement will receive a lump sum of up to €60,000, depending on their age, and deferred redundancy payments until retirement age.

The station is using a variety of methods to cut its costs in a bid to break even by 2013.

The station believes the €10m package will recover the cost within two years and will save €5m a year in the longer term.