Labour Court backs PCW pay provisions at Tube Rollers

The Labour Court recommended that the 1996 pay provisions of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work apply at Tube Rollers Limited, in a dispute with the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union. The recommendation was signed on 6 December 1996. The union had reduced its claim to a 3.5% pay rise, arguing that programme increases were minimum entitlements and employees had lost earnings as overtime was almost eliminated. Tube Rollers said trading conditions and profitability had worsened, but did not plead inability to pay. The Court also recommended confidential access to the company accounts for a union representative and further discussions, with an Industrial Relations Officer available to assist.