Labour Court recommends revised terms for workers affected by Wicklow refuse collection ending

In 2000, the Labour Court recommended revised terms for workers affected by the end of refuse collection by Wicklow County Council & Arklow Urban District Council. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union opposed the loss of refuse collection jobs and sought improved settlement terms. The councils said they would stop providing the service in 2000 and needed to redeploy staff and change work practices. The Court said workers' interests had not been considered when the decision was made without warning and recommended an immediate return to work on different duties. Workers opting for redeployment would receive £2,900 for loss of task and finish, a £1,000 redeployment payment and a £250 retraining grant, plus 1.5 times the systematic-overtime loss calculated over the previous two years. Workers opting to leave could choose between the 1987 voluntary redundancy or early retirement package and five weeks' pay per year of service, inclusive of statutory redundancy; either option included a £500 retraining grant. All workers were also recommended to receive £1,000 in recognition of losing refuse-collector employment. The recommendation was signed on 29 February 2000.