Labour Court rejects union claim over sick-pay waiting days at Mount Congreve Estate

The Labour Court rejected the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim that Mount Congreve Estate’s sick-pay arrangements worsened workers’ conditions. The recommendation was dated 21 June 2001. The 1998 Agricultural Workers Joint Labour Committee scheme increased paid sick leave from 10 to 15 days but left the first three days of an absence unpaid. The Court accepted that the employer would breach the scheme by reverting to 10 days’ allowance and found its approach reasonable in the circumstances.