Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD95311 Case Number: LCR14810 Section / Act: S26(1) Parties: C & C IRELAND LIMITED - and - SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION |
Grading claim for 'runners'.
Recommendation:
The Court is being asked to make an assessment of these posts when
the method of grading posts has been by negotiation. As there is
no agreed assessment system for grading posts operating in the
Company, the Court believes that this issue can only be dealt with
on an industrial relations basis.
The Court, therefore, recommends that the grades for line relief
operators' duties, as outlined in Company memo of 28th July, 1994,
should be as below:-
Line 1 Grade 4
Line 2 Grade 6
Line 3 Grade 4.
Division: Mr Flood Mr McHenry Ms Ni Mhurchu
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD95311 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR14810
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990
SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990
PARTIES:
C & C IRELAND LIMITED
AND
SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION
SUBJECT:
1. Grading claim for 'runners'.
BACKGROUND:
2. The dispute concerns a claim by the Union to upgrade 3 relief
operators ('runners').
The Company operates a 3-line production department on a
continuous running basis. This requires a relief team which
is made up of 3 relief runners. The full-time operators are
graded from 2 to 9. The 3 runners are graded as follows:-
Line 1 Grade 4
Line 2 Grade 5
Line 3 Grade 4.
The Union's claim is for the upgrading of the grade 4 runner
to grade 5, and the upgrading of the grade 5 runner to to
grade 6. In January, 1993, the Union submitted a claim under
section 5 of the Company's Production Development Plan
(P.D.P.) which allowed claims where "a significant increase
in responsibility occurred". The runner on line 1 was
upgraded from grade 3 to grade 4. No other upgradings
occurred where runners were concerned.
A further claim was submitted in early 1994 and the dispute
was referred to the Labour Relations Commission. In July,
1994, the Company offered to upgrade the line 2 runner from
grade 5 to grade 6 on the basis that no further claims would
follow from the Union. The offer was not accepted by the
Union which sought to upgrade all 3 runners.
The dispute was referred to the Labour Relations Commission
and a conciliation conference took place on 3rd March, 1995.
No agreement was reached and the dispute was referred to the
Labour Court, on 30th March, 1995 in accordance with Section
26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. A Labour Court
hearing took place on 8th June, 1995.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
3. 1. The Company's 1992 P.D.P. resulted in additional duties
for the line operators. This meant that the work of the
3 runners, including their use of computers also
increased. The line operators were upgraded as a result
of their increased duties. The 3 runners should,
accordingly, be upgraded.
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. The Company increased the grade of the line 1 runner
from 3 to 4. It offered to increase the line 2 runner
from grade 5 to 6 but the Union was not agreeable. The
Company also retained the line 3 runner on grade 4
despite reduced skill requirement for the line.
Concession of the Union's claim could lead to a knock-on
effect with claims from other sections in the Company.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court is being asked to make an assessment of these posts when
the method of grading posts has been by negotiation. As there is
no agreed assessment system for grading posts operating in the
Company, the Court believes that this issue can only be dealt with
on an industrial relations basis.
The Court, therefore, recommends that the grades for line relief
operators' duties, as outlined in Company memo of 28th July, 1994,
should be as below:-
Line 1 Grade 4
Line 2 Grade 6
Line 3 Grade 4.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
27th June, 1995 Finbarr Flood
C.O'N./M.M. _______________
Deputy Chairman
Note
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to
Mr. Ciaran O'Neill, Court Secretary.