The Labour Court recommended that Adm Ringaskiddy and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union make a final effort to negotiate Christmas staffing arrangements, with talks to conclude by the end of July 2002. Its recommendation was dated 29 May 2002.
The company said its agreement allowed it to require employees to work on public holidays. The union said Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day had historically been worked voluntarily. The Court said the agreement gave the company that right, but the longstanding practice should also be considered.
If the parties agreed to non-voluntary Christmas cover, workers who had not accepted the 1992 £150 payment were to receive an amount adjusted for intervening basic-pay increases.