Labour Court recommends no increase in Lisheen Mines mill operators’ bonus

The Labour Court recommended no increase in the bonus available to mill operators at Lisheen Mines, while calling for discussions on raising the potential payout within the existing 25% limit. The recommendation was dated 26 July 2004. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union said increased production had not benefited mill operators and that their bonus was capped at €400, while miners had no cap. Lisheen Mines said an increase could prompt similar claims from other workers and pointed to losses from 1999 to 2003. The Court accepted that underground workers normally had greater earning potential than surface workers and that the mill scheme was in line with similar schemes in the mining industry.