Labour Court recommends €750 payment and higher Kostal Siemens allowance

The Labour Court recommended increasing the weekly allowance for Siemens operators at Kostal to €45.41 from 1 January 2014, with pro-rata payment for overtime, and a €750 lump sum for operators who started before that date. Its recommendation was signed on 20 April 2015. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union had sought higher pay for Siemens, rework and injection moulding operators. Kostal, represented by the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation, cited tight margins, competition and the need for staff flexibility. The Court rejected the rework claim, finding that the Test and Repair operator grade had been abolished by agreement and the work no longer existed. It also rejected the injection moulding claim, finding no basis for an upgrade and noting that the 2004 Siemens allowance had excluded knock-on claims.