Labour Court recommends £5-a-week increase for Fondermanns workers

In 1987, the Labour Court recommended an increase of £5 a week for general operatives at Fondermanns and Company (Ireland) Limited. The recommendation was signed on 19 March 1987, after a dispute with the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union. The increase applied from 1 July to 31 December 1987, extending and increasing the final phase of the proposed pay settlement. The union had sought £14 a week, saying pay lagged behind rates in the plastics industry. Fondermanns cited competition, weak orders and the risk of layoffs, and said any wage increase would need to be funded through improved efficiency.