Labour Court recommends review of Dublin Airport policing service and officers’ status

The Labour Court recommended a six-week facilitated process to review Dublin Airport Authority’s policing service, followed by confirmation of the employment status of 20 new airport police officers. The recommendation was signed on 4 March 2016. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union argued that the officers should have permanent contracts and that recruitment departed from a 2003 agreement. Dublin Airport Authority said 12-month contracts were needed while it reviewed staffing requirements. The Court recommended a collaborative process involving all stakeholders, assisted by a facilitator agreed by the parties or nominated by the Court if they could not agree. It said the process should be completed within six weeks of starting, after which the officers’ employment status should be confirmed.