Labour Court recommends €150,000 fund as Bulmers bus service is phased out

The Labour Court recommended that Bulmers Limited keep its bus service running until 31 March 2009, then discontinue it and make €150,000 available for workers affected by the change. The recommendation was signed on 23 December 2008. The dispute involved SIPTU (Clonmel), SIPTU (Cork No 4.) and Unite Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union. Bulmers said falling use and annual costs of about €100,000 made the service unsustainable. The unions sought to keep it, saying workers were willing to increase their contributions. The Court considered the bus service was not a condition of employment and that realistic increases in employee charges would not make it viable. It recommended that the unions propose how the €150,000 fund should be divided. If the parties could not agree, the issue could go to the Independent Facilitator who had previously assisted them.