Labour Court declines hospital union claim for higher on-call rate

The Labour Court did not recommend conceding a union claim for a higher on-call rate for Clinical Engineering Technicians at the National Maternity Hospital. The Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union said the technicians provided an important service and the hospital's rate was the lowest among Dublin hospitals. The hospital argued that the claim would increase costs and could prompt similar claims from other staff groups. The Court found the hospital's arrangements compared favourably with cited comparators and that the cost-increasing claim was barred under Towards 2016. The recommendation was signed on 4 September 2008.