SIPTU members employed in RTÉ have voted no confidence in a management plan for the future of the national broadcaster.
The union said its members had voted by a margin of 89% to reject the plan, which it said would result in the endless outsourcing of jobs at RTÉ and deal a fatal blow to public service broadcasting.
SIPTU Services Divisional Organiser Adrian Kane said: "The future of broadcasting will not be served by RTÉ merely becoming a clearing house of independent sector productions."
He added that the vote was "a clear call for management, and crucially the Government, to look again, and engage with these key workers on a shared future for public sector broadcasting in Ireland."
In the ballot, members were asked whether they have confidence in the senior leadership team's strategy and its ability to deliver a fit-for-purpose public service broadcaster for Ireland’s future.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) at RTÉ said it extends solidarity to its SIPTU colleagues following their vote.
"The NUJ RTÉ sub-branch has agreed to hold a ballot of its members to reaffirm the NUJ's opposition to the current policies and the strategic direction of the RTÉ leadership team and board," the NUJ at RTÉ said.
RTÉ said it acknowledges today's SIPTU ballot result.
A spokesperson for RTÉ said: "RTÉ Director General, Kevin Bakhurst has said on a number of occasions that we fully understand that change can be challenging, but that we also believe that the vast majority of staff know that we need to change to survive and prosper; to defend the public service values we all believe in; and to deliver for our audiences in an ever more competitive market.
"We believe that the five-year strategy, now in its second year of implementation, offers the best way forward to secure the future of Ireland's national public service media and give more to Irish audiences in a much changed media landscape and with rapidly evolving audience habits.
"This strategy was published following extensive consultation with the public, RTÉ staff and a wider group of stakeholders. The vast majority of staff supported the need for RTÉ to evolve as outlined in the strategy during this consultation process.
"We continue to remain available to meet with the unions, as we have done, to progress these and other relevant issues."
Additional reporting: Brian O'Donovan
