Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD87418 Case Number: LCR11473 Section / Act: S67 Parties: QUINNSWORTH, BALLINA, - and - IDATU |
Claim for parity with the Company's rates of pay in Sligo town.
Recommendation:
7. Having regard to the history of negotiations in the trade and
in the Company the Court does not recommend concession of the
claim.
Division: CHAIRMAN Mr McHenry Ms Ni Mhurchu
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD87418 THE LABOUR COURT LCR11473
CC87107 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1976
RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR11473
Parties: QUINNSWORTH, BALLINA,
(REPRESENTED BY THE FEDERATED UNION OF EMPLOYERS)
and
IRISH DISTRIBUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE TRADE UNION
Subject:
1. Claim for parity with the Company's rates of pay in Sligo
town.
Background:
2. The claim concerns 37 workers employed by the Company in
Ballina, Co. Mayo. At the end of the 25th wage round the
Company's rates in Sligo ranged from #83.60 to #148.06 while the
Company's rates in Ballina ranged from #77.07 to #138.30. The
Union on behalf of the workers concerned served the above
mentioned claim on the Company in conjunction with the 26th wage
round claim which was resolved following an industrial dispute.
As no agreement was reached on the parity claim it was also agreed
to refer the issue to the conciliation service of the Labour
Court.
3. Conciliation conferences were held on 11th February and 27th
April, 1987 but no agreement was reached. On 14th May, 1987 the
case was referred to the Court for investigation and
recommendation. A Labour Court hearing was held in Sligo on 8th
September, 1987, earlier dates were unsuitable to one or other of
the parties.
Union's arguments:
4. (i) The Company's rate in Ballina has fallen out of line
with the rates of pay in both Sligo and Castlebar.
(ii) The conditions of employment and work performed by the
workers in Ballina is identical with the conditions and
work performed by the Company's staff in Sligo. In the
circumstances there is no good reason for any
difference in the rate of pay especially as the Company
and the Union conduct their own wage round negotiations
separate to the trade in both Sligo and Ballina.
(iii) There is another important factor to be taken into
account and that is how the enhanced rate in Sligo was
established. It resulted from Labour Court
Recommendation No. 7848 A/L in 1983 in respect of
Dunnes Stores, Sligo. Following the issuing of that
recommendation the staff in Dunnes Stores, Sligo had a
rate of pay in excess of the trade rate. Under the
23rd wage round the Company's workers in Sligo secured
parity with the Dunnes Stores rate and thereby moved
ahead of the Company's Ballina rate.
(iv) Claims for parity with the Sligo rate were included
with the Union's claims on behalf of the workers under
the 24th and 25th wage round. It should be clear that
this issue is a matter of concern to the workers on an
ongoing basis.
Company's arguments:
6. (a) Since the establishment of Quinnsworth in Ballina, it
has participated in all negotiations and implemented
all agreements as reached for the distributive trade
sector in the town. It is imperative that this postion
should continue. It must also be emphasised that
should the Labour Court recommend parity with the Sligo
rates, then the rest of the trade in Ballina would have
to follow suit. As Ballina has one of the highest
unemployment rates in the West of Ireland, trade in the
town has also been affected. The custom and practice
which has been established in the town should be
upheld.
(b) It is clear that the rates negotiated for the
distributive trade in Ballina have always been applied
to the Company's workers in Ballina. The Company's
management has also been represented at the trade
negotiations.
RECOMMENDATION:
7. Having regard to the history of negotiations in the trade and
in the Company the Court does not recommend concession of the
claim.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
John M. Horgan
________________________
Chairman
19th October, 1987.
T.O'M./J.C.