Labour Court rejects union appeal over Baxter Healthcare disability plan

The Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s appeal and upheld the Rights Commissioner’s recommendation that a worker and the union accept they had no dispute with Baxter Healthcare. The decision was dated 26 May 1997. The worker, who had been employed by Baxter Healthcare since 1989, applied to join its disability benefit plan in 1995. Her application was rejected after a medical examination. The union argued that the plan’s rules assigned final eligibility decisions to Irish Life’s chief medical officer; Baxter said eligibility was decided by Irish Life and could not be influenced by the company. The Court noted Baxter’s agreement to retain the worker while her appeal against the refusal of a disability pension was pending.