Labour Court recommends Dublin City Council concede union’s temporary replacement claim

The Labour Court recommended that Dublin City Council concede the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim for a temporary replacement for a Deputy City Engineer assigned to a project. The recommendation was signed on 11 November 2003. The union said it had not been consulted about the change to staff structures and that management refused its request for the most senior suitable person to act while the post was vacant. Dublin City Council said no position had been suppressed and that reassignment was needed to use limited staff resources. The Court found the 2001 agreement covered a successful candidate later assigned to a project and said the union was justified in seeking a temporary replacement.