Labour Court recommends Boliden Tara Mines and Unite return to dispute procedure over merit increase

The Labour Court has recommended Boliden Tara Mines and 40 Salaried Staff return to their agreed dispute resolution procedure and discuss the 2022 merit increase claim, with help from the Workplace Relations Commission if needed. The recommendation was signed on 29 September 2026. The staff, represented by Unite the Union, sought to have the increase added to basic pay. The company said it had sustained losses, was producing below budget and had no contractual obligation to pay merit increases. Unite members had rejected an earlier WRC proposal that included a once-off €1,500 payment. The Court said there had been no formal engagement between the company and Unite on a revised proposal and considered further discussions would benefit both sides. It did not recommend a payment amount.