Bakery worker’s complaints over pay rise and age discrimination fail

The Workplace Relations Commission found both complaints by Alan Walsh against Johnston Mooney and O'Brien Bakery not well founded in a decision dated 22 November 2023. Walsh had worked at the bakery for about 33 years. Walsh said he was denied a 3% pay rise given to other general operatives from January 2022. The bakery said he worked as a general operative but kept the higher baker’s rate of €19.52 an hour, compared with €13.03 for general operatives. The adjudicator found Walsh had no contractual right to the increase and was already paid about €6.49 more per hour than colleagues in his grade. His separate equal pay complaint alleged age discrimination because a comparator received the increase. The adjudicator was satisfied Walsh had not been discriminated against on the age ground and found that complaint misconceived and not well founded.