Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD90248 Case Number: LCR12924 Section / Act: S67 Parties: CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND - and - MANUFACTURING SCIENCE FINANCE |
Claim on behalf of eight currency assistants for the payment of a Compactor allowance.
Recommendation:
11. Taking all the circumstances of the case into account the
Court recommends that the wages of the workers concerned be
increased by a further #1 per week and that this adjustment
together with the terms already proposed by the Bank should be
accepted in full settlement of the claim.
Division:
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD90248 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR12924
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1976
SECTION 67
PARTIES: CENTRAL BANK OF IRELAND
and
MANUFACTURING SCIENCE FINANCE
SUBJECT:
1. Claim on behalf of eight currency assistants for the payment
of a Compactor allowance.
BACKGROUND:
2. The currency assistants work in the Bank's currency centre in
Sandyford. Their work is in currency distribution, the area in
which new bank notes are received from the printing workers,
soiled and re-issuable receipts from commercial banks are
processed and from which, reissuable and new bank notes are issued
into circulation. They are also involved with receipts and issues
of coin.
3. Their main work is in the physical movement of cash in the
various areas of the Bank. They are also involved in the
destruction of soiled notes.
4. Early in 1989, there were parallel negotiations between the
Bank and the Union on issues related to relativity and
mechanisation for the currency assistants. On the question of
relativity it was agreed that the civil service messenger group
would be used as a benchmark and that pending the outcome of an
arbitration claim for the messenger group and further
negotiations, an interim payment of #7 per week would be made to
the currency assistants with effect from 13th March, 1989.
5. Agreement could not be reached on the question of
mechanisation. The Bank introduced note processing machines in
the currency department which the Bank contends will, in time,
reduce the work load of the currency assistants by eliminating the
need to hand count currency and practically do away with the need
to incinerate notes (another of the duties of the currency
assistants) as the new machines have the facility to shred soiled
notes. The Bank also introduced a Compactor which is capable of
disposing of shredded bank notes coming from the note processing
machine. This machine involved extra duties for the currency
assistants by way of general upkeep of the area and the disposal
of final waste products.
6. The Union lodged a claim for a special pay increase on foot of
mechanisation. The claim was rejected by the Bank who offered to
pay a plus payment of 4.8% to one assistant and 2.4% to a relief
assistant in respect of those working on the Compactor. These
allowances are equivalent to differentials payable to currency
assistants who undertake forklift driving duties. The issue was
the subject of an investigation by the Labour Court. In L.C.R.
12422 the Court recommended as follows:-
"Having considered the submissions made by the parties the
Court is of the opinion that, having established a public
service relativity and in particular having regard to the
terms of Clause 1(g) and Clause 7 of the Productivity
Agreement of 1981, no reasonable basis exists for an increase
in basic pay on the grounds put forward to the Court.
However, in acknowledgement of the impact of the proposed
technological change on the jobs of the group, the Court
recommends that the Bank's offer be amended to provide for a
lump sum of #1,000 to each of the workers concerned and that
the offer so amended be accepted and that full co-operation
with the required changes commence without delay."
7. The recommendation was accepted by the Bank and rejected by
the workers. However the workers agreed to operate the new
mechanised system for a trial period reserving their right to
review the position in the light of experience and developments.
8. Further negotiations on the claim took place from December,
1989 as well as a number of conciliation conferences and as the
award for civil service messengers had been issued, the Bank put
forward the following offer:
(a) a total pay increase of #19.76 over 3 phases; 1st phase
of #7 (interim offer) was paid from 13th March, 1989, 2nd
phase #6.38 (half of balance) payable from 1st April,
1990, 3rd phase #6.38 payable from 1st October, 1990,
This pay increase to subsume any earlier offer of a
separate allowance for Compactor duties.
(b) full co-operation with mechanisation and normal ongoing
change,
(c) acceptance of Labour Court Recommendation L.C.R. 12422.
This offer was acceptable to the Union except for the question of
the Compactor allowance. The Union sought to have the plus
payments of 4.8% and 2.4% totalled and divided among all the
currency assistants in addition to the Bank's main offer. The
Bank rejected the Union's claim and the parties agreed to refer
the issue of the Compactor allowance to the Labour Court for
investigation and recommendation. A Court hearing was held on
31st May, 1990.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
9. 1. The relativity award was a separate agreement and was not
conceded as part of the negotiations on mechanisation. The
currency assistants have been operating the Compactor for
almost a year now. They have received no payment for the
operation of same. They are now seeking to have the allowance
distributed to all assistants. This does not increase the
cost to the Bank.
2. Other grades in the Bank have received pay increases for
mechanisation.
3. The Compactor needs constant monitoring and it is more
sensible to have the work spread through the group so that
staff are available at all times to operate it.
4. For what is a small monetary difference, the return to the
Bank in reaching a settlement to a long running dispute is
well worthwhile. It will ensure the smooth running of the
mechanisation systems.
BANK'S ARGUMENTS:
10. 1. The relativity offer which would bring currency assistant
basic pay up to #201.63 by October, 1990, and which allows for
the continuation of existing service pay, is a more than
adequate fulfilling of the interim agreement reached in March,
1989.
2. The #1,000 lump sum recommended by the Court in the
previous hearing is still available to the currency assistants
on acceptance of that recommendation.
3. The Compactor duties do not merit any separate allowance
(details supplied to the Court).
RECOMMENDATION:
11. Taking all the circumstances of the case into account the
Court recommends that the wages of the workers concerned be
increased by a further #1 per week and that this adjustment
together with the terms already proposed by the Bank should be
accepted in full settlement of the claim.
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Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
John O'Connell
___________________________
22nd June, 1990. Deputy Chairman
M.D./J.C.