Labour Court rejects union claim for public holiday compensation at Rexam

The Labour Court recommended that Rexam Beverage Can Ireland Limited should not concede Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim for compensation for lost public holiday earnings. The recommendation was dated 16 June 2006. The union said a longstanding agreement entitled workers to extra pay when public holidays were worked. It estimated losses of about €1,600 per worker in 2003 and projected losses of €8,000 per person through 2007. Rexam said a business downturn led it to cut production on public holidays and that the agreement allowed it to give notice when production was not needed. The Court said the downturn followed a loss of business caused by factors outside the Waterford plant’s control. It noted that new business had improved the position in 2006, but did not recommend concession of the claim.