Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD95340 Case Number: LCR14827 Section / Act: S26(1) Parties: LIMERICK CORPORATION (THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION) - and - SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION (S.I.P.T.U.;I.M.P.A.C.T. |
Collection targets/payments.
Recommendation:
The Court noted the wide variation in standard minute value which
had been highlighted by the various bodies involved in the study
of the conversion of refuse collections to the Wheelie Bin system.
The Court is satisfied that the system is not yet firmly
established, in that the parties at the hearing argued that the
work load is not evenly distributed between all the crews
involved.
The Court, therefore, recommends that the parties discuss
immediately how work can be redistributed between crews so as to
equalise as far as possible the demands on each crew. The actual
results for a period of three months should then be returned to
the I.P.C. who should be asked to suggest any final alterations to
the S.M. values and the contingency allowances which they
would deem necessary from the work study point of view. The
results of that appraisal should then be accepted by both parties.
Division: Ms Owens Mr McHenry Mr Walsh
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD95340 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR14827
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990
SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990
PARTIES:
LIMERICK CORPORATION
(REPRESENTED BY THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION)
AND
SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION (S.I.P.T.U.)
I.M.P.A.C.T.
SUBJECT:
1 Collection targets/payments.
BACKGROUND:
2. The dispute concerns the collection targets of the 'wheelie
bin' refuse collection system in the Limerick Corporation
area. The Unions maintain that there are two issues
involved:
(1) The standard minute for bin lifts
(2) Appropriate allowance for down time
There are at present four refuse collection vehicles in use
in the Limerick area. The Unions maintain that this is not
sufficient for the workload involved. The Unions are seeking
the introduction of a fifth vehicle or an increase in basic
pay of #80 per week for the continuation of the Corporation's
"wheelie bin" collection. The Corporation has proposed (1) a
reorganisation of refuse collection routes to distribute the
workload evenly and (2) overtime payments to the crews
concerned, related to bin collection targets achieved. The
targets are based on the findings of a work study carried out
by the Irish Productivity Centre (I.P.C.).
In December 1992, the new "wheelie bin" system was proposed
by the Corporation. The objective was to ensure a better
refuse collection service, reduce litter and ensure better
working conditions for the workers involved. There were
originally thirty four workers involved in the old refuse
system. Under the new system there were to be four vehicles
each having three workers. The twenty two surplus workers
were to be re-deployed to street cleaning.
The new system began operating in November, 1993. The Unions
maintain that the workers immediately had problems with the
workload and that the Corporation was informed accordingly.
S.I.P.T.U. commissioned a work study which concluded that the
workload was excessive. The Corporation agreed to pay
additional overtime and requested an I.P.C. work study, which
was carried out in October, 1994.
The I.P.C. issued its draft report on 22nd November, 1994.
The Corporation sought clarification on a number of issues
and the I.P.C. carried out a second assessment on 8th
December, 1994. In January, 1995, the Corporation asked the
University of Limerick (U.L.) to carry out a work study. A
summary of the three work studies is as follows. The studies
are based on the estimated number of bins that could be
collected at performance levels BS 75 and BS 100.
Performance level
BS 75 BS 100
S.I.P.T.U. 9,106 12,141
I.P.C. 12,900 17,200
U.L. 15,138 20,183
The Corporation maintains that approximately 15,000 bins are
being collected weekly.
In an effort to reach agreement on (1) the standard time to
lift a bin and (2) net effective working time available, a
meeting took place on 27th February, 1995, between the
Unions, The Corporation and the senior I.P.C. consultant. A
standard time of .46 minutes per bin lift was proposed by the
I.P.C. but there was disagreement between the parties as to
what was included in the .46 minute value. The U.L.'s
findings differed from the I.P.C.'s report. As no agreement
could be reached it was decided to refer the dispute to the
Labour Relations Commission. A conciliation conference took
place on 25th May, 1995, but no agreement was reached and the
dispute was referred to the Labour Court on 2nd June, 1995,
under Section 26(1) Industrial Relations Act 1990. A Labour
Court hearing took place on 29th June, 1995.
UNIONS' ARGUMENTS:
1. The Unions were not asked to comment or to supply any further
information after the first I.P.C. report. This led to a
worsening of industrial relations with the Corporation. The
Unions did not see the U.L. report until three months after
it had issued.
2. The workers on the trucks have no facilities whatever, not
even toilet or washing facilities. The work involves health
risks. The Corporation has not taken into account the amount
of downtime associated with the refuse service. The new
trucks, although better than those used previously, slow down
the work.
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
1. Not all the routes have as heavy a workload as the Unions
have suggested. The unofficial industrial action taken by
the Unions made the problems worse at the time that the
I.P.C. study was being carried out.
2. The workers each receive between six and eleven and a half
hours overtime per week, despite the fact that the crews
often finish before normal finishing times. Recently the
workers have sought more overtime.
3. The Unions had agreed to be bound by the I.P.C. report but
have not done so. The Unions' claim for a fifth vehicle or
for an #80 per week increase is unwarrented. The increase
would be prohibited under the terms of the Programme for
Competitiveness and Work (P.C.W.).
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court noted the wide variation in standard minute value which
had been highlighted by the various bodies involved in the study
of the conversion of refuse collections to the Wheelie Bin system.
The Court is satisfied that the system is not yet firmly
established, in that the parties at the hearing argued that the
work load is not evenly distributed between all the crews
involved.
The Court, therefore, recommends that the parties discuss
immediately how work can be redistributed between crews so as to
equalise as far as possible the demands on each crew. The actual
results for a period of three months should then be returned to
the I.P.C. who should be asked to suggest any final alterations to
the S.M. values and the contingency allowances which they
would deem necessary from the work study point of view. The
results of that appraisal should then be accepted by both parties.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
14th July 1995 Evelyn Owens
C.O.N./A.K. ----------------
Deputy Chairman
Note
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to
Mr. Ciaran O'Neill, Court Secretary.