Labour Court recommends 18% shift premium for Noonan cleaning workers

In 1997, the Labour Court recommended accepting Noonan Cleaning Service Limited’s 18% premium offer for two workers moving to a fixed noon-to-8pm shift at the Merck, Sharpe and Dohme plant in Clonmel. The recommendation was signed on 13 March 1997 after a dispute with the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union. The union sought a 20% premium, saying the hours were unsocial and the shift arrangements had not been agreed in advance. The company said its offer had risen from 15% to 18% and the proposed shift ended earlier than most evening shifts. The Court found there was insufficient evidence to support the union’s claim and considered the 18% offer reasonable.