Oireachtas broadcast staff's 'extremely concerning working conditions' highlighted with commission

PI Communications said that the Oireachtas broadcast contract constitutes a 'pay per public minute' model. File Picture: PA

A group of at least 125 TDs and senators has called on the Oireachtas to directly employ the workers who broadcast Dáil proceedings amid claims of poor working terms and conditions.

The group includes Labour leader Ivana Bacik and minister of state Jerry Buttimer. It has written to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to highlight the “extremely concerning working conditions” allegedly being endured by the 30 professionals in question.

Those workers manage the production of live feeds of all Oireachtas business, such as Dáil and Seanad sittings and committee hearings on a day-to-day business, as well as overseeing the archival of all feeds.

The letter, drafted by Cork East TD Liam Quaide, claims the allegedly adverse working conditions and pay issues include “precarious and uncertain working hours, withdrawal of pay during Oireachtas recess periods including Christmas, lack of pension entitlements, pay that is significantly below the industry norm, lack of a retainer payment, and a culture of criticism from management”.

It alleges that the workers are “left to rely on social welfare for periods when the Oireachtas is not in session”.

The contract for delivering Oireachtas broadcast services is currently held by PI Communications. It has performed that role since at least 2011, when it was valued at €7m.

'Secure, year-round pay'

 The letter said there is a “compelling case” for the broadcast workers to be directly employed by the Oireachtas.

“It is difficult to see what a contract with a private company adds to the services they provide, given that all the skilled work is carried out by these workers and their equipment is provided by the Oireachtas itself,” the letter said.

“We ask that the Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas facilitates integration into the civil service for these workers, with secure contracts, year-round pay, and access to pensions and career progression,” they added.

“It is time these workers were valued for the essential service they provide towards the functioning of our democracy.”

Ivana Bacik signed the letter in support of better conditions. File Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Last week, the roughly 20 people who work as broadcast workers within Leinster House called for fair pay and greater job stability before the contract is renewed.

A spokesperson for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission said that, since the broadcast workers and PI Communications are currently in dialogue before the Workplace Relations Commission, it had officially been “deemed that it would not be appropriate to undermine the industrial relations process”.

PI Communications said that the Oireachtas broadcast contract constitutes a “pay per public minute” model.

A spokesperson said that, regardless, workers in the Oireachtas “have a guaranteed entitlement to a fixed amount of work each full sitting week”, and “have certainty of income for their contracted work”.

“Furthermore, all salaries and payments are regularly benchmarked and are commensurate with roles, skills, experience , and responsibilities,” the spokesperson added.