Labour Court urges talks on public health service benchmarking

In 2003, the Labour Court recommended that the Health Service Employers Agency and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union, and the Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union hold immediate talks on applying parallel benchmarking to non-nursing grades across the public health services. The claim covered about 30,000 grades. The Court, in a recommendation dated 8 May 2003, said discussions should finish by 25 June, with the parties reporting back. It said it would issue a definitive recommendation if asked. The Court considered it premature to revert to the existing 80% pay link without another attempt to reach agreement.