Labour Court says Dawn Meats must pay 2.5% Towards 2016 increase

The Labour Court decided that Dawn Meats (Exports) Limited must pay the outstanding 2.5% increase under Towards 2016, retrospectively from 1 October 2007. The decision was signed on 28 May 2010. The increase affected 48 general operatives. Unite (ATGWU) relied on an independent assessor’s finding that the company could not use the agreement’s inability-to-pay provision. Dawn Meats cited trading losses, falling sales, increased costs and restructuring. The Court said the employer had to substantiate its plea and it could not assess information supplied only on restricted terms, so it upheld the assessor’s findings.