Labour Court finds Thorn E.M.I. breached rota agreement and sets worker’s hours at 22.5 a week

The Labour Court found Thorn E.M.I. had unilaterally breached an agreement on working time and rotas, and decided a part-time worker could keep her current rota adjusted to 22.5 hours a week while staffing arrangements were discussed. The decision, which varied a Rights Commissioner recommendation, was signed on 11 December 1989. Manufacturing Science Finance appealed the recommendation, arguing it conflicted with an existing agreement on part-time hours and rotas. Thorn E.M.I. said it needed to respond to changing customer demand and that the worker understood the terms when recruited. The Court recognised the company’s need to respond to demand but said changes should be discussed through normal industrial relations procedures.