Labour Court recommends 4% pay rise for Shannonside Co-Operative workers

In 1997, the Labour Court recommended a 4% basic pay increase over three years for 18 process operators at Shannonside Co-Operative, while advising that their claim for the fitter’s mate rate should not be pursued. The recommendation was signed on 22 November 1997. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union sought the fitter’s mate rate, an increase of about 6%, after a review of pay structures promised following a 1995 rationalisation plan. The company cited £750,000 in rationalisation costs and said the benefits had not yet been fully assessed. The Court recommended a 2% increase on acceptance, followed by 1% on each of the next two anniversaries. It also recommended that workers co-operate with individual skills assessments and the training programme.