FULL RECOMMENDATION
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990 SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990 PARTIES : UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK (UCC) (REPRESENTED BY THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS' CONFEDERATION) - AND - THE IRISH FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS DIVISION : Chairman: Employer Member: Worker Member: |
1. Increase in maximum of college lecturer scale.
BACKGROUND:
2. The dispute concerns the Union's claim that the maximum of the college lecturer scale at UCC is approximately £1,000 less than the equivalent scales in the National University of Ireland (NUI), and other comparable colleges i.e., University College Galway (UCG), University College Dublin (UCD), Maynooth and Trinity College Dublin (TCD).
There have been a number of correspondences between the parties regarding the issue. On 22nd February, 1994, the College replied that it had checked with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which confirmed that the relationship between the scale in UCC and the other colleges had remained constant since 1980.
Following further meetings, 2 conciliation conferences took place on 28th September, 1994 and 25th October, 1995. As the parties did not reach agreement, the dispute was referred to the Labour Court on 21st December, 1995 in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. A Labour Court hearing took place on 6th November, 1996 in Cork.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
3. 1. There is no valid reason for the anomaly in the pay scales of college lecturers in UCC and the other colleges. The College itself cannot give a reason except to say that the difference has always existed since 1980. Records before this stage have not been examined. The present college lecturer maximum scale is as follows:-
UCCUCDUCGMaynoothTCD
£35,089 £36,242 £36,242 £36,242 £36,243
2. The adjustment of the anomaly would not be of significant cost to the College. There would be no repercussive effect as the increase would simply bring the lecturers concerned into line with their counterparts in the other colleges.
COLLEGE'S ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. The Union has already pursued a general claim for its members under Annex 1 of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work (PCW) Clause 2(iii) and a 1% pay increase under this has been applied to the college lecturer scale as an interim adjustment.
2 There has never been a specific relationship between the college lecturers' scale in UCC and other colleges in Ireland. The scales may be similar but they are not common. If the Union's claim is conceded it could have repercussive effects on other grades.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court believes there is merit in the claim.
Both parties have agreed to seek a resolution to the dispute through Clause 2 (a) or (b) of the Annex of the PCW for the Public Service, and the Court so recommends.
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
Finbarr Flood
2nd December, 1996______________________
C.O'N./D.T.Deputy Chairman
NOTE
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to Ciaran O'Neill, Court Secretary.