FULL RECOMMENDATION
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990 SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990 PARTIES : KRAFT FOODS RATHMORE - AND - SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION DIVISION : Chairman: Mr Hayes Employer Member: Mr Murphy Worker Member: Ms Tanham |
1. Pay increase productivities.
BACKGROUND:
2. The Rathmore chocolate crumb plant is closely linked to the finished goods
manufacturing plant in Coolock where in September 2013 an agreement was reached on pay and productivity. There is no dispute between the Union and the Company concerning the quantum of the pay increase. The dispute concerns the productivity concessions the Company is seeking in return for the pay increase at the Rathmore plant.
The dispute could not be resolved at local level and was the subject of a Conciliation Conference under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. As agreement was not reached, the dispute was referred to the Labour Court on the 18th June, 2013, in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. A Labour Court hearing took place on the 1st October, 2013.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS
3. 1. An agreement concluded in 2010 reduced the workforce by twenty eight and, in the Union's opinion, this protected the remaining jobs from redundancy at the Rathmore plant.
2. The membership are opposed to further redundancies in exchange for the terms applicable at the Coolock plant.
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. The Company has put forward a range of cost-saving proposals that include the outsourcing of shift cleaning and stores roles. On acceptance of these proposals by the Union a pay agreement similar to that applied in the Coolock plant will be implemented.
2. The proposal will have the effect of reducing the number of roles of direct employment by nine.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court recommends that, in return for the increases in pay agreed between the parties, they engage at local level or through the LRC with a view to agreeing changes in the working arrangements in the Company commensurate in value with those agreed in the Coolock plant. The parties should complete this process within six weeks and refer any issues that remain in dispute at that time back to the Court for a definitive Recommendation.
The Court so recommends.
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
Brendan Hayes
29th October, 2013______________________
JFDeputy Chairman
NOTE
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to John Foley, Court Secretary.