LCR16081

FULL RECOMMENDATION CD/98/521 RECOMMENDATIONNO.LCR16081 (CC98/1086) INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990 SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990 PARTIES : RYE VALLEY FOODS (REPRESENTED BY THE IRISH BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS' CONFEDERATION) - AND - SERVICES INDUSTRIAL PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL UNION DIVISION : Chairman: Mr Flood Employer Member: Mr Pierce Worker Member: Ms Ni Mhurchu

SUBJECT:
1. Wages, conditions and grading structure.





BACKGROUND:

2. The Company is based in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan and currently employs 450 staff.

The dispute before the Court concerns a claim by the Union, for improvements in wages, conditions and grading structure. These issues were discussed at local level but could not be resolved.

The dispute was the subject of a conciliation conference under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on the 22nd of September, 1998, at which proposals were made. As agreement was not reached the dispute was referred to the Labour Court in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. A Labour Court hearing took place on the 16th of December, 1998.



UNION'S ARGUMENTS:

3. 1. The main reason the workers rejected the proposals made was on the question of the basic wages, in particular, the rate for Grade I. The basic wages are extremely low and are not in line with wage rates elsewhere in the food sector.




COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:

4. 1. The Company accepted the proposals despite the additional cost burden placed on it, but it cannot afford to have any further costs imposed on it in respect of labour.

2. The present rates of pay are not out of line with the rates of pay elsewhere in the food sector.




RECOMMENDATION:

The Court considered the written and oral submissions made by the parties.

It is the Court's recommendation that the proposals agreed for recommendation at the Labour Relations Commission and outlined in letter dated the 23rd of September, 1998, should be accepted by the workforce with the following modification:-

The qualifying date for the tandem rate should be December, 1997.



Signed on behalf of the Labour Court



Finbarr Flood
3rd February, 1999______________________
G.B./D.T.Chairman



NOTE

Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to Gerardine Buckley, Court Secretary.