Labour Court upholds credit-transfer pay recommendation for 32 Youghal workers

The Labour Court dismissed an appeal by 32 Workers at Youghal Carpet Yarns and upheld a Rights Commissioner’s recommendation that wages be paid by credit transfer. The decision was dated 17 April 1998. The dispute followed the company’s planned sale of its Killacloyne plant and a set of proposed workplace changes. Most SIPTU members rejected the proposals, but an aggregate vote of all employees accepted them. The 32 Workers objected to the switch from cash wages to credit transfer, arguing that it required their consent and would bring travel and banking costs. The company said the workforce had accepted the change in a vote and that it had complied with the Payment of Wages Act, 1991. The Court agreed with the Rights Commissioner’s findings and recommendation, including that the company implement the change sensitively.