Labour Court upholds £475 payments to two Louth County Hospital workers

The Labour Court upheld a recommendation for £475 compensation each for two workers who had to leave the Nurses’ Home at Louth County Hospital. The decision was signed on 4 May 1987, after an appeal by the North Eastern Health Board. The Board had told staff to find other accommodation by 31 August 1986 because the Nurses’ Home was to be converted for expanded X-ray facilities. It argued the accommodation was discretionary and that it could not reasonably be required to compensate the workers for its loss. The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union said the two workers had lived in the home for almost 26 years between them. The Court upheld the Rights Commissioner’s recommendation, saying that after a misunderstanding the parties appeared to have committed themselves to accepting it as final. It added that its decision might have been different in other circumstances.