WRC refers bus driver’s attendance-bonus dispute to collective talks

The Workplace Relations Commission recommended that a bus driver’s attendance-bonus dispute return to collective discussions. Adjudication Officer Emer O’Shea dated the recommendation 20 February 2023. The worker’s union argued that he should not lose the bonus because of delays in medical sign-off and testing during the pandemic. The transport company said that after discounting the first 10 days of Covid-related absence, the worker still had nine reckonable absence days, above the scheme’s limit. O’Shea saw merit in the union’s argument that a worker should not be penalised for resource and testing delays, but said she could not make an individual recommendation on an issue affecting a wider group of bus drivers. The WRC recommended that the parties resume discussions on possible changes to the scheme.