Labour Court recommends facilitated talks in William Hill dispute

The Labour Court recommended that William Hill Ltd and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union hold intensive facilitated discussions over two weeks to settle a dispute about contract and employment term changes. If they did not reach agreement, the facilitator would present final proposals for both sides to consider. The recommendation was signed on 26 April 2010. The dispute concerned William Hill's plans to change terms for new recruits and current staff promoted within its betting-shop operations. The union said the changes risked creating a two-tier system and reducing workers' earnings. The Court noted the parties had made considerable progress towards a restructuring agreement.