Siptu general president Jack O'Connor walked off the Tonight with Vincent Browne Show on TV3 on Thursday.
During a live television discussion on the striking Dunnes Stores workers, Mr O’Connor alleged that a lack of union recognition exists in TV3.
He then began to remove his microphone and called on Browne and the other guests on the show, Socialist Party TD Ruth Coppinger and journalist Eamon Delaney, to follow suit.
“Did you not know about that before you came on?” Browne could be heard to ask amid some commotion on set.
“You now see an opportunity for a stunt,” added Browne. “Pick up the microphone there. Put that back on your lapel.”
Mr O’Connor responded: “My lapel? Now you’re telling what to do . . . I’m making a statement here which I’m entitled to make . . . You represent these people here.
“Why won’t they respect the employees’ right to collective bargaining here? Why are you working for them? Why are you providing services for them here?”
Browne said there were “a lot of things I disagree with” in terms of TV3. “As I disagreed with a lot of things in RTÉ, as I disagreed with a lot of things in Independent Newspapers and everywhere,” he continued.
Mr O’Connor went on to say: “We’re all supporting it . We’re all going along with it. You know what we should do – all four of us – we should leave here and leave them to worry about what they’re going to do.”
Mr Browne then began to laugh and, as Mr O’Connor was walking off set, he said: “Okay good luck Jack. Quite a stunt isn’t it. Well done Jack. It’s impressive isn’t it?”
