Labour Court rejects SIPTU appeal over Coillte worker’s reassignment

The Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s appeal and upheld the Rights Commissioner’s recommendation in a dispute with Coillte Teo. The decision was dated 26 June 1997. The union challenged the reassignment of a worker from driving duties to general forest duties after machinery was damaged. It argued that the worker was not responsible and cited recurring faults and the company’s fuelling procedure. Coillte said the reassignment was fair and reasonable in light of an expert report and previous incidents. The Court found the Rights Commissioner’s recommendation was not unreasonable. The £160,000 figure in the decision referred to the value of a machine, not compensation.