ITV SERVICES were not running yesterday after journalists, production and other staff went on a 24-hour strike over pay.\u00a0Pickets took place across the country as well as outside the station\u2019s annual meeting in London, where shareholders were told to support workers\u2019 pay rise after the company\u2019s profits rose by 23 per cent last year.<\/p>\n
At the protest technicians\u2019 union Bectu assistant general secretary Spencer MacDonald told the Star he was \u201creally pleased with the turnout.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI think overall people are quite fed up in terms of the way the company has treated them.<\/p>\n
\u201c[ITV] posted profits of something around three quarters of a billion pounds so they are really frustrated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether ITV management had made any contact since the beginning of the strike, Mr MacDonald replied: \u201cUnfortunately no.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve kept the doors opened, we still want to talk to them and hopefully post-strike we hope they will get back around the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still want to keep the dialogue going, we still want resolving, but it takes a willingness from them to actually want to resolve it.\u201d<\/p>\n