Labour Court rejects union appeal in Cadbury Ireland pay-rate dispute

The Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union's appeal and upheld the Rights Commissioner's recommendation in a pay-rate dispute involving Cadbury Ireland Limited. The decision was signed on 28 April 2003. The worker baked wafers for four days during the company's annual shutdown. The union argued the work qualified for the oven operator's higher grade and shift rates. Cadbury said it was part of an oven overhaul and not comparable to normal production. The company offered the higher grade rate for the week, which the worker rejected; the Rights Commissioner recommended that the offer be accepted as fair.