Labour Court rejects union appeal for 35-hour week at Irish Blood Transfusion Service

The Labour Court upheld a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation and disallowed the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s appeal for a 35-hour week for an unnamed worker at the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. The Court signed its decision on 9 October 2009. The union argued that the worker should have the same hours as other Grade IV staff after an independent job assessment placed him at that grade. The employer said his terms of employment confirmed that his 37.5-hour week would not change. The Court found that being assimilated to Grade IV did not automatically entitle the worker to reduced hours.