LCR22523

FULL RECOMMENDATION

SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990

PARTIES :

SAICA PACK IRELAND
(REPRESENTED BY IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS' CONFEDERATION)

- AND -

5 FITTERS AND 3 ELECTRICIANS
(REPRESENTED BY CONNECT TRADE UNION)

DIVISION :

SUBJECT:

1.Pay Claim

BACKGROUND:

2.UNION’S ARGUMENTS:

3. 1. The Union rejected the Company proposal following consultation and a ballot of their members.

2. The Union asserted their right to negotiate separately on behalf of their members.

3. The Union would be prepared to accept the one year deal offered if it included the additional leave provided in the offer of a two year deal.


EMPLOYER'S ARGUMENTS:

4. 1. It is the Employer's positionthat there were two options put to all staff and one was accepted by SIPTU and other staffrespectively.

2. The alternatives offered were -

Option A: 1 Year Deal -

(a) 1.5% increase on basic salary.
(b) Annual Christmas voucher increased by €210 to a value of €460.
(c) An additional €71.36 on the annual bonus in 2021.
* Equates to 2% increase overall

Option B: 2 Year Deal -

(a) 1.5% increase on basic salary in 2021 and 2022.
(b) The same increase on the Christmas voucher as the 1 year deal,
plus an increase of €40 on the Christmas voucher in 2022 up to the
maximum tax-free allowance of €500.
(c) Service pay increased by €252.20 in 2022 commenced from year 1
as opposed to year 5.
(d) 1 extra day Annual leave in 2021 & 2022 retained thereafter.
* Equates to 2.38% increase overall


3. The Employer maintains that they are not in a position to allow the Connect workers to benefit from the 1 year pay deal plus the extra annual leave.

RECOMMENDATION:

In the interests of the maintenance of good industrial relations in the Company, the Court recommends that the Union accept one of the two options that were put to all employees.

If there is an issue regarding service pay that is particular to the group of workers represented in the instant case, the Court recommends that the parties should engage with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable outcome.

NOTE

Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to David Campbell, Court Secretary.