Labour Court recommends warnings for seven St James's Hospital staff

The Labour Court recommended that seven St James's Hospital staff involved in a dispute over locks on electrical panels receive Stage 2 written warnings with effect from 29 March 2013. The recommendation was signed on 26 November 2013 and followed a hearing on 4 November. St James's Hospital said the locks were placed without permission, created safety risks and were not removed promptly when workers were instructed to do so. The Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union argued that the locks protected against unauthorised access, that workers removed them within the timescale given, and that the disciplinary procedures were flawed. The Court said sanctions should be proportionate to the conduct and how management handled it. It also recommended that both sides recognise the need for strict compliance with workplace safety requirements. The parties had agreed to be bound by the recommendation.