Labour Court sends Rosderra and SIPTU back for pay talks

The Labour Court recommended that Rosderra Irish Meats and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union return to the Workplace Relations Commission for another attempt to agree a pay deal. The recommendation was dated 21 August 2018. The union said pay had been frozen since 2009 and workers’ rates ranged from €10.80 to €13.37. It sought a basic minimum living wage of €11.90 and cited the company’s €300 million turnover. Rosderra said higher raw-material costs and falling domestic prices caused by imports made it vital to maintain efficiency, and said it was willing to explore other ways to increase employees’ earnings. The Court said neither side had supported its position with reference to pay movement in the company or the industry. It recommended further talks taking account of those pay trends, the union’s claim and the sector’s competitive pressures. If the parties failed to agree within six weeks, the matter should return to the Labour Court for a definitive recommendation.