Labour Court rejects union pay claims at Kerry Ingredients

The Labour Court recommended that Kerry Ingredients Ltd not concede the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s general and laboratory-technician pay claims. Its recommendation was signed on 4 December 2008. The union sought higher basic pay, increases for laboratory staff and a compensatory scheme for workers forced to retire early due to ill health. Kerry Ingredients Ltd said further pay rises were precluded by national agreements and defended its proposed scheme for workers who became permanently ill. The Court said the pay claims were precluded by current and previous agreements, and past productivity did not justify increases beyond national agreements. It considered the employer’s offer of a compensatory scheme fair and reasonable and said it should be accepted. The Court recommended further intensive talks on outstanding issues, with unresolved matters eligible to return to it after two months.