Labour Court recommends applying 1999 redundancy terms across training centre sector

The Labour Court recommended applying redundancy terms in a 1999 agreement to all redundancies in the community training centre sector. Its recommendation was dated 16 July 2014 and followed a dispute between the Irish Association of Community Training Organisations Limited (Iacto) and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union (SIPTU). The union sought compliance with the agreement. IACTO said it could not meet the commitments because it lacked the necessary funding after responsibility for funding the centres shifted from FÁS to SOLAS and Education and Training Boards. The Court said the agreement remained in force and recommended that its redundancy terms apply to all sector redundancies, including those raised in the dispute. It also recommended that the parties approach relevant State agencies jointly to secure funding and that interested parties meet to update the agreement to reflect current funding arrangements.