Labour Court recommends further talks on Irish Ferries testing policy

In 2003, the Labour Court recommended that Irish Ferries and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union hold further discussions about testing under the company’s proposed drug and alcohol policy. The recommendation was dated 7 January. The union accepted the policy’s general principles, but the dispute concerned testing procedures. The Court said treating a refusal to take a test as a positive result made the procedure effectively compulsory. It recommended discussions to address the union’s practical concerns. If the parties had not reached agreement by 31 March 2003, the matter could be referred back to the Court for a definitive recommendation.