LCR23232

PARTIES:

DIVISION:

SUBJECT:

A dispute referred under Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990.

BACKGROUND:

This dispute could not be resolved at local level and was the subject of a Conciliation Conference under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. As agreement was not reached, the dispute was referred to the Labour Court on 17th November 2025 in accordance with Section 26(1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990.

 A Labour Court hearing took place on 23rd February 2026.

RECOMMENDATION:

The matter before the Court is a dispute between the company and SIPTU on behalf of 130 general operatives in relation to (i) arrangements for taking breaks and (ii) a pay claim for 2025 and 2026.

The background to the dispute is that, as part of an agreement concluded in January 2025, the parties agreed to enter negotiations on changes to break arrangements and a new shift pattern. General operatives in the company avail of regular hourly breaks established through custom and practice over several decades, in addition to normal break times. The break structure allows for a five-minute break five times a day, Monday to Thursday, and four times a day on Friday, equating to 120 minutes per week.The company contends that the breaks, as arranged, are no longer sustainable as they disrupt production flow.

A WRC proposal in May 2025 – addressing break times, shift arrangements, additional general operatives and vouchers – was rejected in a ballot of union members. The company subsequently set aside proposals on shift changes. The parties returned to the WRC where discussions encompassed other additional matters including pay increases to apply in 2025 and 2026. Having failed to reach agreement the parties agreed to refer the issues of breaks and pay to the Court for recommendation.

Union Position

The union, on behalf of members, seeks a pay increase of 4.25% effective from 1 April 2025 and 4% effective from 1 April 2026. The increases sought are in line with similar increases in the manufacturing sector.  The claim is fair and reasonable to address significant increases in living costs and considering the restructuring of work schedules sought by management.

The company remains competitive and profitable, despite hourly breaks being in place for four decades. Members continue to participate in continuous improvement projects. While unique to the company, the five-minute breaks assist workers maintain high levels of productivity. Removing the breaks could increase fatigue and reduce productivity levels. The union has engaged with the company regarding amalgamating the regular breaks with the main outstanding issue remaining being the company proposal to a 3.15pm finish time on Fridays.

Company Position

The company seeks a two-year deal on pay and conditions of employment in return for agreement to permanent changes in the structure of the five-minute breaks.

The impact of taking regular five-minute breaks is severe in terms of lost production times due to the stopping/starting of lines and interruptions to continuous production flows. Securing changes in break times is vital for competitiveness and to finance pay increases. It is a key factor in the holding company’s decision to invest in expansion of production capacity.  As an agreement to eliminate the five-minute breaks was not reached, the company seeks to amalgamate breaks together to provide a new ten-minute break in the afternoon (4 days x 10 minutes = 40 minute) with a finish time of 15:15 on Fridays.

The company proposes increases to pay of 2.25% for year 1 (effective from 1 April 2025) and 2% for year 2 (effective from 1 April 2026) with additional tax-free vouchers to be paid in year 1 (€250 in December 2025 and €250 in March 2026) and in year 2 (€1,000 paid in quarterly instalments) in addition to the current €500 voucher paid annually in December. The company cannot concede further increases to pay and tax-free vouchers, as any increase in pay must be offset by a decrease in the tax voucher proposal or vice versa.

The Court has given careful consideration to the submissions made at the hearing.

In response to question from the Court, the parties confirmed that the main matters remaining in dispute relate to the increases to apply to pay and tax-free vouchers, and the finishing time on Fridays.

Th Court notes the extensive and protracted engagement between the parties under the auspices of the WRC and the stated preference of both parties that the Court make a recommendation to bring the matters in dispute to a close.

Having regard to the submissions made and taking account all of the circumstance of this case, the Court makes the following recommendation.

Pay increase

• Year 1 - 3.5 % effective from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
• Year 2 - 3 % effective from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

Vouchers

In addition to the existing €500 voucher normally paid in December, the company pay a once-off additional €1,000 in tax-free vouchers as follows in year 2: 

• €250 in June 2026
• €250 in September 2026
• €250 in December 2026
• €250 in March 2027.

Breaks

The company proposal on the amalgamation of breaks and Friday finishing time of 3.15pm be accepted.

The Court so recommends.

	Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
	Katie Connolly
CC	______________________
02/03/2026	Deputy Chairman

NOTE

Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be in writing and addressed to Ms Ceola Cronin, Court Secretary.