Labour Court rejects Diageo worker’s claim to count casual ship service for pension

The Labour Court did not concede a worker’s claim to have casual ship service recognised for pension purposes. It signed its recommendation on 30 July 2013. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union said the worker served on the company’s ships from 1974 to 1988 and had 10.5 years of reckonable service. It said colleagues in similar situations received recognition and that a 2003 confirmation that his service would count was later withdrawn. Diageo Ireland said casual service was not reckonable under its pension scheme and that prior service had been counted only in voluntary severance packages. The Court found that the worker had not taken such an exit package and did not concede the claim.