Labour Court recommends no disturbance payment for relocated ambulance staff

The Labour Court recommended no compensatory payment for 18 ambulance personnel moved from Naas Hospital to a new base at Monread, Naas. Its recommendation was signed on 21 June 2000. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union sought disturbance money, citing inconvenience and changes to work practices; the Eastern Health Board argued there was no loss of earnings and the move was unlike a major hospital reorganisation. The Court said the changes did not warrant compensation and were not comparable with the reorganisation associated with centralising health services at Tallaght Hospital. It noted that some complaints were not entirely without foundation and recommended a further meeting between management and the union to consider ways to ease the inconvenience.