Labour Court recommends higher goodwill payments in SK Biotek benefits dispute

The Labour Court recommended higher goodwill payments for 70 Workers in a dispute with SK Biotek over changes to employee benefits. In its recommendation dated 5 September 2023, the Court proposed €400 for staff who joined after 2 June 2020, €800 for pre-2020 staff with up to 10 years’ service, and €1,000 for those with more than 10 years’ service. The employer said the changes were needed to achieve savings and that its offer was fair and in line with industry norms. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union (SIPTU) said its members had rejected the proposals and wanted greater compensation, while accepting that a buyout at 1.5 times the loss was in line with the Court’s usual approach. The Court recommended retaining that buyout approach and said the payments should be made in the most tax-efficient manner.