Labour Court recommends joint talks on Tara Mines cost savings

The Labour Court recommended on 26 February 2013 that Boliden (Tara Mines), the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union, Unite and the Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union hold joint talks on labour cost savings across the workforce, including management. The company said savings were needed to meet its 2013 budget, fund mine development and extend the mine's life; it said 2013 would otherwise be loss-making. The unions resisted cuts to pay, bonuses and overtime premia and proposed alternatives, while the company sought earnings reductions of up to 10% from its 675 remaining employees. The Court recommended a substantial reduction in overtime, acceptance by all employees of measures in the 2012–2014 Agreement and a review of the agreement and payments due in light of company performance at the end of June 2014 if its elements were met. Discussions were to finish by 26 March 2013, with the dispute eligible to return to the Court if the parties did not agree.