Labour Court recommends €200 goodwill payment after Smyths Centra Foodmarket dispute

The Labour Court recommended that Smyths Centra Foodmarket pay a worker €200 in full and final settlement of a dispute over weekend shifts. The recommendation was dated 26 November 2004. The worker said she was mistreated after telling the employer she could not work on two Saturdays, and that she felt she had no option but to leave. The employer denied using the language alleged and said staff understood flexible rostering. The Court said the evidence conflicted and neither side called a witness. It considered the employer’s reaction to her unavailability over-reactive and aggressive, while also saying her abrupt departure without trying to pursue a grievance was unacceptable in employment terms.