An investigation has been launched following claims of "bullying and a toxic culture" at Welsh-language channel S4C. The broadcaster's chairmman Rhodri Williams said the board had appointed an external legal firm, Capital Law, to carry out the investigation after claims were made by a union-representing staff.
In a letter, broadcasting union Bectu alleged that there was a "culture of fear" at the organisation. It also described "staff regularly being brought to tears" and "too scared to share their experiences".
The union's negotiation secretary in Wales, Carwyn Donovan, who wrote the letter to independent members of the channel's executive board, also noted that the meeting he held with staff was "the most shocking" in his career as a trade union representative. He also claimed that "four members broke down in tears" while "giving their accounts of the situation".
The union letter, which was shared anonymously via email with BBC-produced news programme - Newyddion S4C, also detailed that staff had told union representatives that they were "being ignored, belittled, undermined, or patronised by members of the management team".
Claims were also made of management team members acting inappropriately and disrespectfully towards other staff. It was also noted that when legitimate questions were raised, staff members received aggressive and confrontational behaviour from management team members.
S4C's chairman, Rhodri Williams, said the letter "obviously didn't make for comfortable reading," and that "a number of points raised, if proved to be true, would give us serious concerns." He added: "They are not the type of things anyone responsible for any organisation would like to read, be that a private or a public organisation".
When asked whether the board had been slow to react to concerns raised by some members of staff, Mr Williams denied it and said he was "comfortable" the board's independent members had responded "in the proper manner and with the requisite speed". Mr Williams also urged staff to come forward to share their concerns and said that he would "keep an open mind" in allowing contributions from former employees who had recently left the Welsh language broadcaster, which is based in Caernarfon and Carmarthen.
"Necessary steps" would be taken if allegations of bullying were proved, he said. The letter also noted that the union were aware of complaints since November of last year, with the situation said to be fragile for some time. In a meeting with the chief executive, Siân Doyle, who was appointed to the role in January 2022, the union official said she recognised "things had been difficult, and that managers were at fault for the way people felt".
According to the letter however, she also said that "the term 'bullying' is thrown about too easily". Bectu said it was pleased to see that the prompt response to the members' complaints by the S4C Unitary Board, which consists of non-executive members who did not work for the broadcasting channel, as well as executive members on the S4C management team.
The union said: "We are pleased they have agreed to appoint an independent investigator, whom we look forward to working with. As a union we are committed to stamping out bullying and harassment wherever it occurs and we are here to support." In response, Welsh Conservative culture spokesman Tom Giffard said the allegations were "deeply concerning" and for the "wider impact on the reputation of our Welsh language broadcaster". He added: "It is essential that staff at all levels come forward at this time to share their experiences and that S4C engages fully with the investigation".
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