The General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists has told an Oireachtas committee hearing that he has read letters from employers threatening staff if they joined the union.
Seamus Dooley was speaking before the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, which is hearing submissions on the Broadcasting Bill.
Mr Dooley said that those applying for broadcasting licences should be required to allow staff to join a union.
Mr Dooley said the proposed new regulatory authority for broadcasters will have to have two distinctly different wings to cater for commercial and public service broadcasting.
He also said TG4 should not be separated from RTÉ, saying such a move would be counterproductive. This view was backed by the RTÉ group of unions, which said it would create false competition.
SKY Ireland also appeared before the committee this morning, but has not yet made a written submission to the committee on the bill.
