OIREACHTAS BROADCAST WORKERS held a demonstration outside the Dáil today to highlight their fight for better pay and conditions, as some say they have been forced to rely on social welfare payments to supplement their income.

Broadcast workers are hired by a private company who receive the tender for Oireachtas TV, which broadcasts meetings of the Dáil, Seanad, and Oireachtas committees.

The group of part-time and casual workers protesting today are calling for the Oireachtas Commission to require the company to pay them an industry standard wage, instead of the current average rate of €12,000 per year.

Speaking during today’s protest, the workers described their roles as “precarious”.

The protesters said that up to 13 workers are on casual contracts and often don’t find out their working hours for the week until Monday evening.

James Hickey, a broadcast worker, said that some staff are laid off during the Dáil summer recess, unlike Dáil staff.

Hickey said it is difficult to have another job as workers are expected to “drop that other work” when the Dáil is in session.

He said: “A lot of us have signed on. Actually, a couple of our members can’t be here today because they are down in the dole office.” 

“We’re really desperate now just looking for some fairness. That’s all we want,” he added.

Another worker, Keith McEvoy, said: “We’re relying on the dole when we essentially work for the government”.

“We just want to be paid a fair and decent wage. We want to be able to support our families.”

The protesters claim their concerns have been “brushed off” by the Oireachtas Commission.

The protest has received support from many politicians.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly attended the protest today along with representatives from Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit.

Speaking at today’s protest, Connolly said: “How do we value these workers so little who are bringing the workings of democracy into our homes on a daily basis”.

Pi Comms, the company who have the tender for Oireachtas TV, said it has twice been re-appointed by the Oireachtas in processes with a “significant focus on value for money”.

It said: “We are aware of a lobbying campaign by some part-time employees involved in the Oireachtas contract, who wish to become full-time civil servants and who have engaged in ill-informed criticism of their employment terms to further that objective.”

“Pi Comms is constrained in commenting publicly on client contractual matters and because we are currently engaged in trade union negotiations with staff with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission. We would encourage others to respect the WRC process and to desist from attempts to negotiate in parallel via media.”

It added that all rates of pay of all part-time staff supporting this contract are “regularly benchmarked against industry norms and their total earnings are proportionate to the overall work undertaken throughout the year”.

It said: “All staff have pension entitlements, receive holiday pay, sick leave and sick pay. They are also free to work on other projects or for other employers and most do.

Additional reporting from Jane Matthews.