Labour Court rejects union appeal over Hallmark Cards worker's transfer

In 1992, the Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union's appeal and upheld a Rights Commissioner's recommendation concerning a worker's transfer at Hallmark Cards (Ireland) Ltd. The recommendation was dated 31 August 1992. The dispute concerned which of two operators should move to a new department. The company transferred the more senior operator, departing from its usual practice of filling vacancies by seniority after advertising them internally. The union argued the more junior operator, a deputy shop steward, should have been transferred. The Court said management's decision was not unreasonable in the circumstances, but the proposed departure from normal practice should have been discussed with the union beforehand. It described the case as a once-off.