Labour Court recommends Cheshire Ireland concede union’s enhanced redundancy claim

The Labour Court recommended that Cheshire Ireland concede the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim for enhanced redundancy terms, in a recommendation dated 16 December 2015. The union sought three weeks’ pay per year of service plus statutory redundancy, capped at two years’ pay. Cheshire Ireland said its existing package provided 1.5 weeks’ pay per year plus statutory redundancy. It estimated conceding the claim would add €260,000 to costs, on top of an estimated €1 million for its existing formula. The Court noted the employer’s financial difficulties and substantial reliance on HSE funding. It recommended that Cheshire Ireland apply the redundancy terms in the Haddington Road Agreement and engage with the HSE early to seek the additional funding required.