Labour Court backs council's final offer in bonus dispute with Unite and SIPTU

The Labour Court recommended that South Tipperary County Council's final position be accepted in its dispute with Unite the Union and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union (SIPTU) over withdrawing a bonus scheme. The scheme should remain in place until 31 December 2015, after which compensation in the amount proposed in the Council's final offer should be paid to each affected employee. The recommendation was signed on 3 October 2014. The unions proposed protecting members' bonus payments for 20 years. The Council said it had improved its offer and proposed a transition payment. After three hearings, the Court said the parties still differed considerably on the central issue and recommended the Council's final position.