Bectu members at STV take strike action over pay

Bectu’s members at STV have, along with their NUJ member colleagues, taken strike action today over a pay freeze.

Members working across all departments at STV voted overwhelmingly for industrial action by a majority of 3 to 1 after STV announced a pay freeze for 2026. NUJ members in the STV Newsrooms also voted overwhelmingly in favour of Industrial action.

The pay freeze was announced by STV shortly before Christmas, following on from the company asking Ofcom for permission to produce a single News at 6 programme across both of its licence areas. The regulator announced last week that it was delaying publishing that decision until after the Scottish elections in May. The controversial move is opposed by 84% of viewers, as well as the leaders of the five main political parties in Scotland, and staff and Unions within STV.

STV announced recently that STV News at 6 was the most watched news programme in Scotland for the 7th year in a row, with a 30% viewing share, and average monthly online views of STV News had more than doubled in 2025 to 66m. The broadcaster owns the only two channel 3 licences outside the ITV network, as well as a radio station launched last year and a number of production studios. The value of the company has halved following a profits warning in July 2025. The full year financial results for 2025 published yesterday showed a fall in revenue to £176.9m (2024: £188m) with adjusted operating profit of £11.6m, down from £20.6m in 2024.

STV management have so far refused to move on a 0% pay offer saying they cannot afford any increase largely because of the ongoing reduction in TV advertising as well as the continuing lack of new commissions across the industry. STV studios has grown to be a significant element of STV income but in 2025 income from Studios is estimated to have fallen by £20million.

Paul McManus, Bectu Negotiations Officer for Scotland, said:

“Staff at STV have been left with no choice but to take this action. They are being asked to take a real terms pay cut against the backdrop of rocketing prices and when they are already overworked.

“As usual it is workers being asked to take the financial hit while STV seems able to find money to invest in other areas of the business.