Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD/88/222 Case Number: LCR11851 Section / Act: S67 Parties: JURY'S HOTEL LIMITED - and - IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS UNION |
Claims for:- (a) Weekly pay arrangements, (b) Increase in laundry wage rates.
Recommendation:
9. Claim (a) Weekly Pay:
Having regard to the fact that the fortnightly pay period was
accepted in good faith by the staff in the belief that it was
to become the standard pay period within the group, but that
this has not in fact taken place the Court recommends that
unless the change has come about generally in the other hotels
within the next six months the claim by the Union should be
conceded with effect from 1st November, 1988.
Claim (b) Laundry Staff:
The Court does not consider the Union's claim based on
comparability with housekeeping staff or laundry staff
elsewhere in the group to be well founded but in having regard
to the wage structure within the Hotel itself, and the type of
work involved in the laundry recommends that the staff
concerned should be paid a basic rate of £127 per week.
Division: Mr O'Connell Mr Shiel Mr Devine
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD88222 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR11851
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1976
SECTION 67
PARTIES: JURY'S HOTEL LIMITED
(REPRESENTED BY THE FEDERATED UNION OF EMPLOYERS)
AND
IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS UNION
SUBJECT:
1. Claims for:-
(a) Weekly pay arrangements,
(b) Increase in laundry wage rates.
BACKGROUND:
2. Local level meetings took place on the matters in dispute, no
agreement could be reached and they were referred to the
conciliation service of the Labour Court on 8th January, 1988. A
conciliation conference was held on 1st March, 1988 at which
agreement could not be reached and on 21st March, 1988 were
referred to the Labour Court for investigation and recommendation.
The Court investigated the dispute on 13th April, 1988.
CLAIM (A): Weekly Pay
3. In 1985 the Hotel reached agreement with the Union for the
payment of wages fortnightly. It was also agreed that a loan
equivalent to 1½ weeks net pay would be made available to each
employee to be repaid over a twelve month period. The Union
now wants to revert back to weekly pay because of budgeting
difficulties and as it had been understood in 1985 that the
Dublin and Cork branches of the Hotel would also be changed to
fortnightly pay, whereas in fact they are still on weekly pay.
This was rejected by the Hotel.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. In 1985 when the pay arrangements were changed the Union
understood that the Hotel was changing the system of payment
for all three hotels i.e. Dublin, Cork and Limerick due to
central computerisation arrangements. It was only late in
1987 that it was discovered that the workers in Dublin and
Cork had never been asked to change to fortnightly pay. The
workers feel that they have been deceived and taken advantage
of.
4. 2. The workers find that with fortnightly pay arrangements
they have difficulty in budgeting and often need to borrow
until the following pay day. This situation cannot continue
and if the Hotel wishes to re-introduce the issue of
fortnightly pay it should be done for all its weekly paid
employees on a national basis.
HOTEL'S ARGUMENTS:
5. 1. The loan made available to employees as part of the 1985
agreement involved a substantial cost upfront to the
Hotel at that time. It is recognised that some people
will always have difficulty budgeting whether payment is
made weekly or fortnightly.
2. Each Hotel in the Group negotiates independently on local
issues as was done in this case. The Hotel's payment
system and administration is geared to fortnightly
payment. To change to weekly payment would add an
additional burden and cost to the Hotel at a time when it
is constantly reviewing all costs with a view to
eliminating or reducing costs where possible.
CLAIM (B): LAUNDRY STAFF:
BACKGROUND:
6. Laundry staff in Limerick are classified as general workers
and paid £112.50 per week. The Union initially claimed that
the two workers concerned should be paid the housemaid's rate
in the Hotel i.e. £139 per week. This was rejected by the
Hotel as an inappropriate comparison. The Union are now
claiming parity with laundry staff in Cork where the rate is
£139 and was also rejected by the Hotel.
UNION'S ARGUMENT:
7. 1. The difference in the wage rate between the two laundries
in one group is most unfair particularly in view of the
fact that housemaids in Limerick like the laundry workers
in Cork are also paid £139 a week, £26.50 above the rate
of this group of workers. The two workers concerned have
been most co-operative with the Hotel in work
arrangements. They were on short-time working and are now
taking two half days off instead of the full day per week
and have long service.
HOTEL'S ARGUMENT:
8. 1. Each Hotel operates in a different market with different
charge rates, etc and the payment structures and rates are
negotiated at local level. The Hotel totally rejects
parity with either Cork or Dublin as it operates and
negotiates within the context of the local situation.
Appropriate comparisons are with similar jobs in the Hotel
Industry in the area. A comparison of these rates
(details supplied to the Court) shows that the rate in
this Hotel is competitive. Concession of this claim would
have substantial knock-on effects.
RECOMMENDATION:
9. Claim (a) Weekly Pay:
Having regard to the fact that the fortnightly pay period was
accepted in good faith by the staff in the belief that it was
to become the standard pay period within the group, but that
this has not in fact taken place the Court recommends that
unless the change has come about generally in the other hotels
within the next six months the claim by the Union should be
conceded with effect from 1st November, 1988.
Claim (b) Laundry Staff:
The Court does not consider the Union's claim based on
comparability with housekeeping staff or laundry staff
elsewhere in the group to be well founded but in having regard
to the wage structure within the Hotel itself, and the type of
work involved in the laundry recommends that the staff
concerned should be paid a basic rate of £127 per week.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court.
John O'Connell
___13th___May,____1988. ___________________
U. M. / M. F. Deputy Chairman