Labour Court rejects union claim for pay protection after council redeployment

In 1989, the Labour Court did not recommend conceding the Federated Workers’ Union of Ireland’s claim for two redeployed general operatives to retain their basic pay and receive compensation for lost overtime. The recommendation was signed on 27 January 1989. Kilkenny County Council moved the workers from refuse collection to other duties during public spending cutbacks. The union said each had lost £4.61 a week in basic pay and about £3,000 a year in regular overtime. The council argued that workers should be paid the rate for their current jobs and that the redeployment reduced costs while maintaining refuse services. The Court considered the council’s offer reasonable given local authority financial restrictions and did not recommend the union’s claim.