Labour Court recommends Norse Merchant Ferries bonus and shift talks

The Labour Court recommended that Norse Merchant Ferries maintain the existing cargo-tonnage bonus for general terminal operatives and discuss whether it should rise for future employees. Its recommendation was dated 21 December 2005. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union sought to retain the bonus and extend it to all employees. It said the bonus was worth €5,000 per worker under the 1999 agreement. The company argued that the scheme was not linked to productivity or profitability and had offered a buyout based on the three-year average. The Court also recommended further discussions on a shift structure that complies with the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Workers had raised concerns about Sunday overtime followed by an early Monday shift, which could leave at most seven hours’ rest.