A NUMBER of staff members at TV3 who lost their jobs last week were handed €20 in phone credit before having their mobile accounts cut off and being told to leave the building immediately to waiting taxis, the Sunday Tribune has learned.

Furious employees demand­ed a meeting with management last week to discuss the manner in which 12 of their colleagues, many of whom had been employed for several years, were let go.

It is also understood that some of those affected were "in tears" as they walked from the Ballymount, Dublin, studios, having had little if any intimation that they were about to be made redundant.

They were told to return at a later date to collect their personal belongings. Frustration was also aired to management over the tabloid entertainment show Xposé and the recently acquired 3e channel, which they claim have not been in any way affected by budget reductions.

Last Monday's announce­ments were the second of two culls at the station, which is owned by the UK venture capital group Doughty Hanson.

In October, 30 positions were affected. That involved the loss of 15 staff, while 15 other positions remained unfilled and numerous free-lance shifts also felt the effect.

Although it was initially reported last week that senior management faced cuts of up to 15% as part of the latest move, the Sunday Tribune has learned that this figure will reach as high as 20%.

Cutbacks just introduced involved a 5% reduction on the first €30,000 of salaries, 10% on everything between €30,000 and €100,000 and 20% on anything higher.

The manner in which staff were dealt with has led to serious concern and indignation.

Sports staff were informed last Monday morning that the nightly bulletin Sports Tonight was to be axed but were then made to wait to be told one by one who still had a job.

A TV3 spokeswoman said that the staff who lost their jobs were allowed to keep their phones but their bill contracts were cancelled. She was there was "some leeway" with this – that their phones were not cut off immediately – but insisted "staff were not handed €20 credit".

She also denied that staff has demanded a meeting with management over the way redundancies were handled.

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