Labour Court recommends changes in Thermal Heat Exchangers pay and hours dispute

In 2001, the Labour Court recommended a settlement of a dispute between Thermal Heat Exchangers Limited and Services Industrial Professional Technical Union over pay, hours, hot drinks and an incentive scheme. The Court recommended the union accept changes to the Works Agreement, apply the first PPF phase and a 2% increase from 1 April, and bring the second PPF phase forward to 8 January 2002. It also recommended renewed talks on an incentive scheme, limiting hot drinks to designated breaks, and restoring the 39-hour week from the end of PPF, subject to further discussion if the change threatened competitiveness or employment. The recommendation was signed on 31 August 2001. The company said it had sustained substantial losses and needed to restructure; the union said productivity had risen and workers had cooperated with changes.