Labour Court recommends review of Cadbury disciplinary procedures after unions object to manager's return

The Labour Court recommended a review of Cadbury Ireland Ltd's disciplinary procedures after the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union and Unite objected to a manager's proposed return to a production management role. It said the unions should withdraw their objections following the review. The recommendation was signed on 30 October 2007. The dispute followed a 2004 incident that led to the manager's removal from his role and an undertaking that he would not work with factory-floor workers. In June 2007, management told the unions he would be appointed Production Plant Manager. The unions said this breached the earlier commitment; the company said the arrangement was not intended to last indefinitely and the manager should be able to resume his career. The Court recommended that the review consider the Code of Practice on Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures, including its provision that warnings be removed from an employee's record after a specified period and the employee advised. It said the unions should withdraw their objections on the basis of that review.