Labour Court recommends Irish Ferries manning proposals and continued top-up payments

In 1995, the Labour Court recommended that the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union accept Irish Ferries’ manning proposals for a new vessel. The recommendation was signed on 20 January 1995. The dispute followed the loss of the Pandoro freight contract and involved proposed lay-offs, pay changes and the top-up allowance for workers on lay-off. The union opposed lay-offs and pay reductions. Irish Ferries said the loss required staffing and pay changes and that it could not continue the top-up indefinitely. The Court recommended discussions on a retirement package for dockers, leaving the proposed new-starter rate until recruitment resumed, and continuing the top-up until the new vessel arrived or, at the latest, 1 June 1995.