Labour Court recommends 9% machine differential at Smurfit TP

The Labour Court recommended that employees at Smurfit TP (Dublin) Ltd accept the company's offer of a 9% differential for work on its eight-colour ATN Rotary Gravure printing machine. The recommendation was signed on 16 February 1999. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union had sought a 17½% differential, arguing that operating the machine required skill and knowledge comparable to that needed on a seven-colour machine, which attracted a 15% differential. The company said the claimants serviced the machine rather than operated it and offered 9%. The Court said the parties could arrange an independent work study if they agreed.