Labour Court recommends union consider St Gobain pay and conditions improvements

The Labour Court recommended that the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union consider pay and conditions improvements offered or implemented by St Gobain Performance Plastics in accordance with its procedural agreements. The recommendation was signed on 17 July 2012. The dispute concerned a 2% pay increase implemented from September 2011, as well as the sick pay scheme and bereavement leave. The union said the company had acted unilaterally and had not actively engaged on the other issues. St Gobain said it had acted in good faith, cited improvements to pay and benefits, and remained willing to discuss the issues despite reduced business and higher costs. The Court noted that improvements had been made but that their implementation did not follow the company-union procedural agreement.