Radio NZ staff strike again

Around 50 Radio New Zealand workers have again walked off the job this morning in a second lightning strike over pay.

News reports on National Radio and Concert FM were to be disrupted during the stoppage, from 11am to 1pm, but the regular Nine to Noon programme continued.

About 180 members of the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) are seeking a five per cent pay rise and a one week increase to annual leave entitlement in line with recent settlements in the public sector.

Radio New Zealand is offering a three per cent one-year agreement, with no change to annual leave entitlement.

An EPMU spokeswoman said this morning that some of the striking workers had been issued with suspension notices for the duration of the action, ensuring they will not be paid.

"We're not sure why they have been issued to some and not others at this stage," she said.

RNZ spokesman John Barr said the first he knew of the strike was when an NZPA journalist rang to ask him about it.

"We are always open to talk," he said.

PSA Organiser Brenden Sheehan said Radio New Zealand was refusing to value the huge contribution staff had made in recent years.

"Radio New Zealand staff have worked incredibly hard to refresh the line-up of shows and successfully rolled out the public broadcasting network's new nation-wide FM frequencies," he said.

"RNZ salaries lag behind other public and commercial broadcasters. Good staff will leave the network if they are not paid fair wages."

The strike action comes at the same time as RNZ continues a long-running dispute with a former manager, he said.

"It hasn't escaped our members notice that the money spent on that dispute is more than enough to conclude a new agreement."

Further industrial action was "inevitable" unless RNZ came up with an improved pay offer.

- NZPA