STV journalists' strike action

That this House supports the decision by members of the Scottish Television (STV) workforce to initiate strike action on Thursday 28 March 2024 following an overwhelming mandate from a ballot in favour of industrial action due to the breakdown in pay negotiations at the broadcaster; acknowledges that this marks the start of a series of disruptions to STV's flagship news programming throughout the spring and summer seasons; recognises that the strike will result in the depletion of newsroom resources in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Inverness; further recognises that the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is advocating for a six per cent pay rise for its members to counter the effects of inflation amidst a record cost-of-living crisis experienced last year; observes that STV has only offered this increase to the bottom three per cent of earners, citing financial constraints despite recording profits exceeding £20 million on record revenues in the previous fiscal year; further supports the sentiment expressed by Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ Scotland National Organiser, who highlighted that STV journalists are not merely reporting on the cost-of-living crisis but are actively experiencing its ramifications and emphasises that these journalists, who contribute to STV's acclaimed journalism, are simply seeking a wage increase commensurate with inflation; urges Simon Pitts, Chief Executive of STV, and the STV Board to engage constructively with union representatives and reconsider their position recognising the reasonable demands of the workforce; and calls for a fair, equitable resolution to the dispute that respects the contributions of STV journalists.