Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD89635 Case Number: LCR12775 Section / Act: S67 Parties: DUBLIN VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS - and - LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES UNION |
Claim by the Union for a pay increase for audiometricians (audiology technicians).
Recommendation:
5. The Court having examined the detailed written submissions
from the parties and noting the additional points made at the
hearing does not recommend concession of the Union's claim for
salary scales equivalent to those paid to Cardiac Catherisation
Technician at Basic and Senior level.
The Court does however consider that the claimants salary scales
do not adequately reflect their level of skill and responsibility.
The Court is of the view that the appropriate starting level is a
point equivalent to the starting point of the Staff Nurses Scale
and accordingly recommends that with effect from 1st September,
1989 the following scale be applied to the claimant grades.
AUDIOMETRICIANS - 10131-10356-10583-10811-11046-11275-11489.
SENIOR AUDIOMETRICIANS - 12668-12981-13206-13472-13740-14012.
Assimilation on to the above scales would be on the agreed basis
between the parties.
Pay movements from 1st September, 1989 should parallel that of
staff nurse.
Division: Ms Owens Mr Keogh Mr Walsh
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD89635 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR12775
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1976
SECTION 67
PARTIES: DUBLIN VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS
(REPRESENTED BY THE FEDERATION OF IRISH EMPLOYERS)
AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES UNION
SUBJECT:
1. Claim by the Union for a pay increase for audiometricians
(audiology technicians).
BACKGROUND:
2. Audiometricians are mainly employed in diagnostic audiology
units and their main function is to conduct assessments of hearing
loss and prescribe hearing aids. The structure for payment of
audiometricians is broken down into basic and senior grades. The
senior grade was introduced with effect from 1st July, 1979 and is
paid on an agreed basis i.e. where there is one post of
audiometrician, this post may be graded as senior. Where there is
more than one audiometrician post, then only one such post may be
graded at senior level. The requirement for appointment to a
senior post is to have a minimum of three years satisfactory post
qualification experience. In early 1989 the Union claimed a pay
increase for audiometricians attached to the following hospitals:-
Temple Street (1), Royal Eye and Ear (2), Beaumont (1) and Sligo
General (1). The salary scales claimed are the equivalent of
those paid to the grade of cardiac catherisation technician
(C.C.T.) at basic and senior level (details supplied to the
Court). The Hospitals rejected this claim and as no agreement was
reached at local level the matter was referred on 25th May, 1989
to the conciliation service of the Labour Court. A conciliation
conference was held on 7th September, 1989 at which no agreement
was reached and the matter was referred on 14th September, 1989 to
a full hearing of the Labour Court which took place on 20th
December, 1989.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
3. 1. The current salary levels are inadequate and do not
reflect the duties and responsibilities of the workers
concerned. The salary levels are out of line with generally
acceptable standards for grades involved in broadly comparable
work.
3. 2. The grading and pay structure for audiometricians was
developed in an ad-hoc fashion and the salary levels were
never referred for independent analysis. In most comparable
grades there are generally four levels to the career structure
but the audiometricians have only two levels i.e. basic and
senior grades.
3. The poor pay and career structure of audiometricians has
adversely affected the ability to attract and retain suitably
qualified experienced personnel. It is virtually impossible
to attract any candidate for a vacant post other than to offer
the senior scale. This completely erodes any sense of a
career structure. The difficulties in filling audiometrician
posts can only be addressed by a substantial increase in pay
levels and a revision of the career structure.
4. It is the Union's contention that the level of
responsibilities of the audiometrician and the C.C.T. (details
of duties supplied to the Court) are broadly comparable.
Although the nature of the work is different the major
difference in salary scales is not justified. Accordingly the
Union is claiming salary scales for audiometricians equivalent
to those of the C.C.T. at basic and senior level (details
supplied to the Court).
HOSPITALS ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. The rate of pay for audiometricians is linked with
movement in the nursing grades. Nursing grades have recently
received a special pay award of 6% over a sixteen month
period. The Union has said that it is not seeking to have
audiometricians taken out of this area. The decision to pay
this award to audiometricians will await the outcome of their
present claim.
2. Nursing grades are also awaiting the outcome of
arbitration concerning a claim for a ten per cent increase
which has already been awarded to clerical grades. If this
award is in favour of nursing grades, audiometricians will
also benefit.
3. The Union has claimed parity between the audiometrician
grade and other paramedic grades (especially C.C.T.'s). It is
the Hospital's view that there is no similarity between the
work performed and the levels of responsibility of
audiometricians and the other paramedic grades.
4. The difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff in the
hospital services is not unique to the audiometrician grade.
Similar difficulties arise in all paramedic areas.
5. Concession of the Union's claim would have costly
repercussions throughout the health services with claims for
regrading and parity from other paramedics.
RECOMMENDATION:
5. The Court having examined the detailed written submissions
from the parties and noting the additional points made at the
hearing does not recommend concession of the Union's claim for
salary scales equivalent to those paid to Cardiac Catherisation
Technician at Basic and Senior level.
The Court does however consider that the claimants salary scales
do not adequately reflect their level of skill and responsibility.
The Court is of the view that the appropriate starting level is a
point equivalent to the starting point of the Staff Nurses Scale
and accordingly recommends that with effect from 1st September,
1989 the following scale be applied to the claimant grades.
AUDIOMETRICIANS - 10131-10356-10583-10811-11046-11275-11489.
SENIOR AUDIOMETRICIANS - 12668-12981-13206-13472-13740-14012.
Assimilation on to the above scales would be on the agreed basis
between the parties.
Pay movements from 1st September, 1989 should parallel that of
staff nurse.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court,
Evelyn Owens
___8th__March,___1990. ___________________
A. S. / M. F. Deputy Chairman