Live coverage from STV strike

Around 100 STV staff members are out on strike today (8 May) over pay, leading to coverage of the Scottish election results being cancelled and replaced by an episode of The Chase.

Our members at STV are joined in the picket lines outside the Glasgow and Aberdeen offices by members of Bectu, which represents technical staff. Members of both unions voted overwhelmingly for strike action in March following management’s decision to offer a 0% pay award.

Messages of solidarity have been coming from across the NUJ and further afield. 

In a joint statement, NUJ co-presidents Fran McNulty and Gerry Curran, general secretary Laura Davison, and the NUJ delegation at IFJ Congress, said:  

“Colleagues, solidarity to all of you taking industrial action today. You are sending a strong, united message. A message that journalism matters; that your fight for pay matters; that your work has value. Management could have avoided this action. Your reps and officials worked hard to propose constructive ways forward. It is more than disappointing that these have been rejected; we urge management to reconsider and take immediate steps to resolve this dispute in a meaningful, positive way.  

“Thank you to everyone who has shown support for the action today. This is a crucial time for public service broadcasting and we need to stand together to fight for a strong, independent public service media. 

“This has been a key issue at this week's International Federation of Journalists centenary congress where we have heard reports from around the world of public service broadcasting under threat. Our federation of unions agreed to strengthen our campaign together. Our work as journalists is in the service of the public. There can be no fairness without fair pay.” 

James Doherty, NUJ Glasgow branch chair, said: 

“STV rightly prides itself on being home to Scotland's most watched news show. That doesn't happen by accident. It's down to the talent and passion of the hard working journalists. They make it such a success. They are the key ingredient. And they deserve a fair pay for their role in STV's success. Anything else is an insult to decency.” 

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) said: 

“Solidarity from Scotland’s trade union movement to all those at STV News who must, yet again, take industrial action to stave off cuts to their pay.” 

University and College Union Scotland said: 

“Solidarity with NUJ and Bectu members at STV striking for a fair, or indeed any, pay deal from management. We're sorely missing STV's coverage of the election results today.” 

Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ Scotland organiser, said: 

“It's frustrating that due to the stubbornness of STV management, on the biggest news day in Scotland for years, Scottish viewers, listeners and readers won't be able to hear what some of the most well-respected journalists, reporters and producers in Scottish broadcasting have to say. Our members would much rather be reporting the election results than standing on picket lines, but they have been driven to this action by management’s indifference as to how overworked and underpaid they are.   

“CEO Rufus Radcliffe has once again failed to grasp the opportunity to end this dispute, and it is personally embarrassing for him that STV will be broadcasting reruns instead of the biggest news story in Scotland.”

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