Labour Court puts Waterford fire shift proposal on hold for six months

The Labour Court recommended putting Waterford Corporation’s proposed four-cycle fire service shift system on hold for six months, pending central discussions. It dated the recommendation 21 October 1999. Waterford Corporation proposed eight-hour shifts and an increase in staffing from 20 to 28. It said normal annual earnings would rise by £1,000 to £2,000, while acknowledging that ending off-duty call-outs would remove earnings averaging about £4,000 a year and committing to address that loss. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union supported a four-shift arrangement but sought nine- and 15-hour shifts, saying a different pattern would break parity with other fire services. The Court cited the union’s concern about setting a national precedent and recommended a six-month pause before making a definitive recommendation.