Labour Court rejects Waterford Crystal machine operatives’ regrading claim

The Labour Court rejected a union claim to raise the pay grade of about 50 machine operatives at Waterford Crystal. The recommendation was dated 23 July 1996. The Amalgamated Transport And General Workers' Union argued that machine technology had changed the work and increased the skills required. The company said the rate had been agreed in 1994 and that the agreement allowed regrading claims only where jobs had been restructured. After hearing the parties and inspecting the plants, the Court concluded there had been no job restructuring as envisaged by the 1994 agreement.