Oireachtas broadcast workers call for pay parity and better working conditions

The ream are calling on the Government and the Oireachtas Commission to take action to ensure they are 'treated with the fairness and respect we deserve'. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Oireachtas broadcast workers are calling on the Government to end their low-hour contracts and poor working conditions by integrating them into the civil service.

The team of around 20 manage the live broadcast of all Dáil, Seanad, and committee proceedings ensuring they are all accessible to the public.

However, the team said they are currently being paid half the standard industry rate for comparable roles and are calling on the Government and the Oireachtas Commission to take action to ensure they are "treated with the fairness and respect we deserve".

The workers report earning around €12,000 per year.

"The Oireachtas sits only about 100 days a year. Outside of those days, we have no income and often rely on social welfare," the group said in a statement.

We receive no retainers, paid holidays, pensions, healthcare, or income protection — unlike many public workers in the same building.

As they are privately contracted, recesses and election cycles can leave some workers without work for weeks or months, with those who work on committee session having been without work since the general election was called in November until this week.

The Oireachtas broadcast contract, worth over €7m, was awarded to Pi Communication in 2020.

Aontú senator Sarah O'Reilly told the Seanad that Pi Communications are paid to roster staff, as all cameras and equipment belong to the Oireachtas.

The contract with Pi Communications is up for renewal this year and the broadcast workers are calling for pay parity with industry standards, to be integrated into the civil service, "with proper contracts, year-round pay, and access to pensions and career progression".

Previous efforts to engage with Pi Communications through their trade union did not result in offers that were acceptable to the workers.

"With political will, this can be resolved—quickly and fairly. We uphold democratic transparency every day," the broadcasting team said.

It is time we were treated with the fairness and respect we deserve.

Ms O'Reilly said that the Government has a duty of care to ensure that workers are treated fairly.

"Not only are people being subjected to unfair work conditions but it is costing the Oireachtas and therefore the taxpayer more money to employ these workers through a private contract than it would be employ them directly," Ms O'Reilly said.

"There is no point in us standing up and delivering grand speeches on the importance of workers rights when there are people working hard only a few rooms over trying to get by on €12,000 per year."

Footage captured by the Oireachtas team is regularly picked up and used by Irish and international broadcasters, as well as by political parties for use on their own social media. It is also archived for public record.

The workers raised additional issues that they would like to see addressed including no access to a dedicated HR department as employees of an external contractor, access to just one toilet cubicle for 35 staff members, and lack of access cards for some staff to access areas of Leinster House.