The Labour Court rejected Vladimir Savel’s appeal against the dismissal of his equal-pay claim against Workforce International Contractors Ltd. In a determination dated 26 January 2016, the Court varied the Equality Officer’s decision, finding the claim not well founded rather than misconceived in law.
Savel, a cabin crew member based in Budapest, said he was paid less than a Hungarian comparator doing like work in Germany: €11.34 an hour and €42 in holiday pay, compared with €16.20 an hour and €60. The company said pay rates reflected local living costs.
The Court accepted that the men did like work but found the difference arose from location, not race or nationality. It also found no disadvantage to people of Savel’s nationality, as cabin crew of different nationalities at each base received the same rate. The appeal was disallowed.