Labour Court pauses firefighters’ rent allowance claim for national talks

The Labour Court recommended that a dispute over rent allowance for three firefighters employed by Waterford City Council not be progressed while the issue was discussed at national level. The recommendation was signed on 24 February 2014. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union said the firefighters had been told before accepting their jobs that the allowance would be paid and had been appointed before notice of its withdrawal. Waterford City Council argued that departmental rules barred the payment and left it no discretion to pay. The Court said the allowance appeared to fall within the category addressed in an earlier recommendation, but its treatment had broad national implications. It said the parties could seek a review after six months, taking account of progress in national discussions.