Labour Court declines union claim over Gresham Hotel chefs’ service charges

The Labour Court said it could not recommend the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim over service-charge payments to chefs working in Toddy’s Lounge at the Gresham Hotel. The recommendation was signed on 29 April 2005. The union sought to remove the chefs from the service-charge pool and compensation for members’ claimed loss of earnings. The Court found that the chefs had received service-charge payments over a prolonged period and established an entitlement through custom and practice, so the payments could not be withdrawn.