Labour Court recommends 5% higher pay scale at Athlone and Sligo institutes

The Labour Court recommended that the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union's claim for a 5% higher pay scale for senior management grades at the Athlone and Sligo Institutes of Technology be conceded. The recommendation was signed on 17 November 2005. The union sought retrospective application from 1 September 2001, saying the colleges had passed the threshold used for higher rates elsewhere. The Dept Of Education & Science opposed the claim, arguing that Review Body recommendations and government decisions set the applicable salary levels. The Court found that the criterion of 225 whole-time equivalent teachers remained the appropriate reference point and said the union's claim was reasonable.