SU vs the workers - happy ending!

Stargal

From tcdsu.org

TCDSU staffing problems resolved
08.09.2006
Over the past few months, the Students' Union has been restructuring its core operations in order to update the services offered to their students. The proposed changes included the refurbishment of the House 6 shop, the introduction of online accommodation and employment information and the new website. In the face of growing financial pressures, a number of financial changes were also proposed. These included pay freezes for Sabbatical Officers, spending freezes and after an extensive consultation period with its staff, a number of redundancies were felt to be necessary. Two redundancies were unavoidable, one in the front office and one in the shop. Further to this, three staff in the DUST travel agency rejected transfers opting for redundancy.

The nature of these redundancies was not challenged. However, a dispute soon arose between TCDSU and SIPTU over the level of redundancy payments to be awarded to the staff. This matter was eventually referred to the Labour Court.

The Labour Court recommended that the five employees being made redundant should be paid four and a half weeks pay per year of service, in full and final settlement. TCDSU felt that this recommendation was fair and just, and validated the position that they have held all along, especially give their tight financial position.

Today, SIPTU accepted the Labour Court recommendation. TCDSU are relieved that this matter has been resolved and that they can now turn their attention back to helping their students.

The redesign of the House 6 shop will be completed over the next few weeks and it is also hoped that online employment and accommodation information will be up and running in the coming weeks.

Four and a half weeks pay for every year of service seems fair enough. IIRC the standard offer is 2-4 weeks (which usually means 2) so that's generous.

Glad to hear it's all resolved anyway.

George's_Key

Yes, excellent to see it's now over and out. Does anyone know what kind of years service the 5 people had? Like are we talking 12 years? 30 years?

wheresthebeef

glad to see its over, and glad that the labour court made a sensible decision. TCDSU 1, SIPTU 0.

Moorsy

I think they worked for about 8 years.

This might be completely wrong.

Stargal

wheresthebeef wrote:

TCDSU 1, SIPTU 0.

That ranks highly as one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen on these boards (and I've spent a lot of time in both Personal Issues and After Hours, so that's not something I'll say lightly)

The SU didn't score a victory, as you so crassly put it, over SIPTU. It wasn't about one side trying to beat the other one, it was about both sides negotiating to ensure that they got an outcome that they and the people that they represent would be happy with.

If you consider having to lay off a couple of people and face serious financial difficulties a victory it's a pretty Phyrric one at that.

xeduCat

wheresthebeef wrote:

glad to see its over, and glad that the labour court made a sensible decision. TCDSU 1, SIPTU 0.

Yes, because that's how industrial relations works in the real world :-( Just like a football match, with supporters cheering from the sidelines. I suppose you have an intimate familiarity with the papers and submissions at the Labour Court - or are you just cheering the press release?

There has been far too much pressreleasing and posturing (from all sides) on this matter. Outside of a strike/lockout situation, this sort of matter should be handled with sensitivity. There is even some constitutional provisions in the SU regarding staff matters even being raised at Council meetings. Those provisions are there for a good reason. No-one who is involved in contract negotiations or losing their job should see the details (or the best guess at details) picked over like a spectator sport. If someone was being fired from Spar, I doubt we'd have comment on Spar 1 Workers 0. The SU is important to us as students but how many of us have been in a personal situation like this and suffered the further indignity of cheerleaders on websites?

I said in a previous post that this was a black time - it was picked up wrong (through my own imprecise writing) - and I still think that's a way to describe it - a messy, unfortunate, awkward situation. Any chance of a clean break without the union-bashing (I mean SU-bashing as well as SIPTU-bashing!)?

Crash

ah, but David's a nurse. If you've paid any attention to the attitude of nursing groups, whether you want to consider it right or wrong, its been very much about the posturing and the black/white right/wrong approach to everything. hence the way he put it.

I agree its a stupid arse reply though :P