Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD88575 Case Number: LCR12007 Section / Act: S67 Parties: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS PLC - and - IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION |
Manning levels and payments in connection with a proposed printing contract.
Recommendation:
11. On the evidence available to it the Court considers that the
Company's final offer is reasonable. The Court therefore
recommends that it be accepted and jointly reviewed after one
year's operation.
Division: CHAIRMAN Mr Collins Mr O'Murchu
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD88575 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR12007
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1976
SECTION 67
PARTIES: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS PLC
AND
IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION
SUBJECT:
1. Manning levels and payments in connection with a proposed
printing contract.
BACKGROUND:
2. The Company has been offered the contract for printing the
Sunday Express. Negotiations took place at local level in
October/November, 1987, concerning manning and payment for this
work. Three departments, Rotary, Dispatch and Transport would be
affected. Proposals made by the Company on 4th November, 1987
were unacceptable to the Union and the matter was referred on 10th
December, 1987 to the conciliation service of the Labour Court.
Conciliation conferences were held on 15th and 25th January,
1st February, and on 29th June, 1988. The final position in
relation to each of the three departments was as set out
hereunder:-
ROTARY:
3. The Sunday Independent is currently printed on three printing
presses by twenty three staff. The Company proposes printing it
on two presses, using the third to print the Sunday Express.
Nineteen workers would work on the Sunday Independent while four
would work on the Express. The Company has offered to pay #23 to
each of the nineteen working on the Sunday Independent as
compensation for the increased workload. The Union's claim is for
#40.50 (i.e.: one third of the current Sunday Independent rate)
plus two extra operatives to be employed on the Sunday Express
(six in total). The Union is also seeking compensation for the
loss of the current break period of approximately 1.50 hours
following the production of the Evening Herald.
DESPATCH:
4. The current manning of the Despatch department is twenty seven
operatives. Work on the Evening Herald finishes at 5.30 p.m. and
commences on the Sunday Independent at 10 p.m. The Company has
proposed that, under the new system, five operatives would start
at 8 p.m. and the remaining twenty two at 9 p.m., the finishing
time for Evening Herald work to remain unchanged. An additional
payment of #23 would apply to the nineteen staff working on the
Sunday Independent. The Union is claiming a payment of #39.56 for
all twenty seven staff (one third of the current Sunday
Independent rate).
TRANSPORT:
5. The Company has proposed to pay two drivers overtime for two
hours at time plus a half for reel haulage. The Union's claim is
for four drivers to each work two hours at double time on reel
haulage.
6. Management has proposed that two drivers each operate a nine
hour shift, one from 2.30p.m. to midnight and the other from
3.30p.m. to 1a.m., for a payment of #81 each. The Union is
claiming that the work would require three drivers, one working
from 2.30p.m. to midnight and two from 3.30p.m. to 1a.m.
7. The Union is also claiming an extra van for relief on the city
delivery of the Sunday Independent.
8. As no agreement was reached, the matter was referred on 21st
July, 1988, to a full hearing of the Labour Court. The hearing
took place on 18th August, 1988.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
9. 1. The Union is not in any way opposed to new and additional
work being performed. Its concern is with the conditions
attaching to such work. The effect of taking on the proposed
contract would be to increase the workload for those working
on the Sunday Independent by one third. It is in this context
that a payment of one third of the current Sunday Independent
rate is sought in the rotary and despatch departments.
2. The details of the Union's claims are as set out in
paragraph 3,4,5,6 and 7 above. These claims are all made in
the context of the increased workload.
3. The Company has indicated that the Sunday Express may
consist of as many as forty pages, considerably more than was
originally envisaged. The number of pages and colour inserts
in the Sunday Independent has also increased. Furthermore,
production of the Independent on two machines will prolong the
run.
9. 4. The Union is seeking compensation for the loss of a break
period of 1.50 hours for those who are required to commence
working on the Sunday Express immediately following work on
the Evening Herald.
5. Management have consistently argued that the contract
price offered to them for printing the Sunday Express only
allows for a marginal profit. The Union submits that it is
unrealistic on the part of management to hope to bring in
outside publications which is ongoing to increase the workload
for the staff and to resist paying what the staff consider to
be reasonable compensation.
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
10. 1. In recent years the competitive environment in which the
Company operates has changed radically. Traditional cost
structures and work practices are no longer sustainable. The
Company has consistently communicated the facts in relation
to the changed circumstances to its employees. Cover prices
over the past decade have had to be increased due to the high
level of costs. The circulation of the Sunday Independent
has declined steadily over that period while staffing levels
have not declined. It is in this context that the Company
sought the contract for the printing of the Sunday Express.
If the contract is secured the volume output will only be
brought up to the approximate 1977 levels, due to the decline
in circulation of the Company's own newspaper. The contract
can only be secured on a cost competitive basis.
2. The details of the Company's final proposals are as set
out in paragraph 3,4,5, and 6 above. Management believes
that this offer represents the maximum that is fair,
reasonable and commercially viable. The cost of conceding
the Union's claim would be #149,864 per annum. The cost of
implementing the Company's offer (for members of the ITGWU)
would be approximately #60,268.
3. Staff work Saturday night as part of the normal roster
and payment for this is included in the weekly salary rate of
#332.88 for night staff and #288.32 for day staff. Staff
switching to the printing of the Sunday Express will work a
considerably shorter night i.e.:
ROTARY: 6 hours on the Sunday Express compared with 11
hours normally worked on the Sunday
Independent.
DESPATCH: 5 hours on the Sunday Express compared with 9.50
hours normally worked on the Sunday
Independent.