Labour Court recommends talks and late-shift compensation at Dairygold mill

The Labour Court recommended further talks on Dairygold’s cost-saving proposals at Lombardstown Mill and backed its late-shift compensation formula in a recommendation signed on 27 April 2009. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union opposed proposals it said could reduce members’ take-home pay and staffing. It pointed to accepted redundancies and outsourcing, expected work to transfer from Macroom, and said the mill was profitable. Dairygold said the changes were needed to cut costs and sustain viable employment, and proposed a buy-out package to mitigate earnings losses. The Court recommended discussions on managing the 800 guaranteed hours and 14% productivity bonus, with a view to agreement by 15 May 2009. It considered eliminating the late shift reasonable if the union accepted Dairygold’s formula: twice the annual loss in three equal instalments over two years. It did not recommend reducing incumbent weighbridge operators’ pay. After talks, the amended package was to go to a ballot of union members.