LCR23000

PARTIES:

DIVISION:

SUBJECT:

Pay Claim.

BACKGROUND:

This dispute could not be resolved at local level and was the subject of a Conciliation Conference under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. As agreement was not reached, the dispute was referred to the Labour Court on 26 March 2024 in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990.

A Labour Court hearing took place on 25 June 2024.

UNION'S ARGUMENTS: 

1. Lower paid workers have been disproportionately impacted by inflation over the last three years.  The Union seeks an increase of €1 per hour across all pay rates.

2. The Union claim is fair and reasonable and in line with other companies in the Agri/food sector.

EMPLOYER'S ARGUMENTS: 

1. The Employer operates in a competitive marketplace where labour costs have significantly increased in the last 2 years. The level of pay increases sought by the union are unrealistic.         

2. The Employer is satisfied that its proposal to the union is fair and reasonable and comparable to other pay agreements in the meat processing industry.

RECOMMENDATION:

The Court has given very careful consideration to the written and oral submissions of the parties on the day of the hearing.

The Court notes the substantial engagement between the parties in an effort to conclude a pay agreement which, it is agreed, will be of 12 months duration with a commencement date of 1 January 2024.

The Court notes that the parties are in agreement regarding the introduction of a new three grade pay structure, and that the entry rate of pay proposed as part of that three-grade structure is not in dispute.

In the view of the Court, it is in the interest of good industrial relations between the parties that the matter be brought to resolution as soon as possible.

Having regard to all of these circumstances and the background of engagement between the parties the Court recommends as follows:

The hourly rate of pay for grade 2 and grade 3 effective from 1 January 2024 as follows:

Grade 2:             €13.53 per hour

Grade 3:             €14.55 per hour

The Court so recommends.

	Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
	Katie Connolly
TH	______________________
5th July 2024	Deputy Chairman

NOTE

Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to Therese Hickey, Court Secretary.