Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD969 Case Number: LCR15099 Section / Act: S26(1) Parties: STREAM INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LIMITED (Represented by THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION) - and - SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION (SIPTU;SIPTU |
Crewing arrangements on new stream feeder machines.
Recommendation:
The Court fully recognises the impact new technology is having on
operations within the printing industry and of the implications
these changes have for manning levels and demarcation lines.
Given the above, it is necessary that all employees are given the
opportunity to update and improve their skills with a view to
being able to avail of opportunities arising as a consequence of
such changes.
In this context, it is imperative that union branches discuss and
agree arrangements which will enable all their members to avail of
opportunities which arise.
In the case before the Court, it is recommended that in the
interest of equity and the protection of employment, the jobs
should be carried out as proposed by the Company (i.e., that they
be shared by the members of the two branches).
Division: Mr McGrath Mr Pierce Mr Walsh
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD969 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR15099
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990
SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990
PARTIES:
STREAM INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LIMITED
(REPRESENTED BY THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION)
AND
SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION (SIPTU)
SUBJECT:
1. Crewing arrangements on new stream feeder machines.
BACKGROUND:
2. The Company is situated in Clonshaugh Industrial Estate and
is involved in the production of computer manuals. It
employs 238 workers. SIPTU's Printing Trades Branch (No. 16)
has 51 members and SIPTU's Women Workers Branch (WWB) has 65
members in the employment.
In 1994, the Company decided that to remain competitive it
would have to rationalise its production. This involved the
introduction of new machinery, including the automated stream
feeders, (details supplied to the Court). The current
arrangement is that members of both branches of SIPTU are
involved in the manual handling of the machines. When the
production becomes automated, it will require two workers on
each of 3 shifts. The Company has proposed that 1 worker
from each branch works on a shift. The dispute concerns the
fact that both branches claim that the work is proper to its
branch and that both workers from each shift should be from
its own branch.
The dispute was referred to the Labour Relations Commission
and a conciliation conference was held on 5th December, 1995.
No agreement was reached and the dispute was referred to the
Labour Court on 15th January 1996, in accordance with Section
26(1), Industrial Relations Act, 1990. A Labour Court hearing
took place on 9th February, 1996.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS: (Branch 16)
4. 1. The Company, after considering what the future crewing
arrangements would be, stated that, under the existing
demarcation lines, the work would be proper to Branch
16. Most of the work currently involved is done by
members of Branch 16. The claim by the WWB has more to
do with a concern about direct redundancies than a
legitimate entitlement to the posts.
2. (WWB)
The stream feeder will directly replace members of the
WWB Branch. To date, 12 members of this Branch have
become redundant whilst there have been no redundancies
from Branch No. 16. WWB has suggested a more flexible
approach to the crewing arrangement but this was
rejected by the Company.
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
3. 1. It is necessary for the Company to introduce new
technology if it is to remain competitive because of
decreasing product prices and increasing material costs.
The Company has attempted to reach agreement on the
crewing of the stream feeder since October, 1994. The
preferred option is to train members from both branches
of SIPTU. However, this has not proved possible because
of the internal dispute in the Union.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court fully recognises the impact new technology is having on
operations within the printing industry and of the implications
these changes have for manning levels and demarcation lines.
Given the above, it is necessary that all employees are given the
opportunity to update and improve their skills with a view to
being able to avail of opportunities arising as a consequence of
such changes.
In this context, it is imperative that union branches discuss and
agree arrangements which will enable all their members to avail of
opportunities which arise.
In the case before the Court, it is recommended that in the
interest of equity and the protection of employment, the jobs
should be carried out as proposed by the Company (i.e., that they
be shared by the members of the two branches).
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
12 March, 1996 Tom McGrath
C.O'N./S.G. _______________
Deputy Chairman
Note
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to
Mr. Ciaran O'Neill, Court Secretary.