If you thought things could not get any worse for STV then you were wrong.
The two main TV unions – the National Union of Journalists and Bectu – are to hold ballots on a pay strike.
The company plans to freeze pay.
Of course a pay freeze actually means a pay cut after inflation is included. Inflation is currently at 3pc.
A pay freeze is never good news. It is often a sign of a company going through turbulent times.
But this pay freeze follows on from big job cuts linked to the planned cuts in news programmes.
Staff who haven’t taken redundancy have been told their pay will be cut in real terms.
Even if this is necessary to steady the ship, it will hardly help staff loyalty and morale.
It should be remembered that many jobs in television – especially at the lower levels – are not well paid. This is true across the industry and STV is probably no more guilty of this than anyone else.
Those who can put up with modest pay or short-term contracts in the early stages of their careers and survive often work their way up to jobs which are much more lucrative. Others bail out.
A pay freeze though can only make things worse for everyone. It would hardly be a surprise if some loyal staff find themselves wondering if they’d be better off doing something else.
But what is STV to do?
Advertising revenue is down. The share price collapsed last summer.
Ofcom is expected to say whether the cuts to news will be allowed by the end of March.
That’s also when strikes on pay might begin – assuming the company doesn’t compromise.
Further strike action by the NUJ linked to the job cuts is also possible though the BBC reports that only a few staff are still at risk of compulsory redundancy.
If the NUJ goes on strike again, it seems likely news will be blacked out. Just like it was in January and during another strike two years ago.
What about a Bectu strike though? Are its members responsible for STV playout? If they are, this could prove significant. Do emergency playout plans include provision for strikes?
And if STV compromises on pay – as surely it will have to at some point – will this mean other cuts to pay for the increased wage bill?
It’s all a very sad state of affairs for staff, unions and a company which is still much loved in Scotland.
The NUJ has even claimed STV is in talks with Comcast although nothing has been confirmed and there are reports ITV’s talks with the global giant have cooled.
Nobody can say with certainty what twists and turns may lie ahead.
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PICTURED: STV break bumper. COPYRIGHT: STV Group.
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