Labour Court affirms Peamount Hospital recommendation on worker’s extra hours

The Labour Court affirmed a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation in a dispute over a part-time worker’s access to extra hours at Peamount Hospital. It said the hospital should give her priority for any additional hours arising in the immediate future. The decision was signed on 16 October 2008. The worker’s hours had temporarily increased from 20 to 39 a week before returning to 20. Her union, the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, appealed the recommendation. It argued that other hospital work could have kept her on a 39-hour week and sought reimbursement of her earnings shortfall. The hospital said the extra hours were temporary and that additional hours were advertised for staff to apply for. The affirmed recommendation called for the parties to formalise relief-work arrangements and give part-time staff first option under agreed criteria.