Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A SECURITY FIRM has been told to give its staff based at Shannon Airport a pay rise due to the “specialised” nature of their work.
The recommendation was made by the Labour Court, which was adjudicating in a dispute between security workers represented by Siptu and their employer, Noonan Services.
Noonan provides outsourcing services across the UK and Ireland in a variety of areas, including maintenance and cleaning. The firm also employs a number of people who work in security at Shannon Airport.
Siptu argued that the “unique circumstances and specialised nature” surrounding the security functions carried out by Noonan workers in Shannon Airport meant they should get an increase in their hourly rates of pay.
The airport is routinely used for US military flights, with local group ShannonWatch claiming 730 such planes passed through the western hub last year.
Noonan argued that the work carried out by the staff was not of “sufficient risk” to justify higher pay for airport security work compared to similar jobs in other facilities.
However the Labour Court ruled in the union’s favour. It noted that the workers had several requirements rarely needed by other security staff. These included:
The Labour Court found that there was merit to the claim for “the introduction of an allowance to reflect this unique and special situation”.
Pay claim
It said that this claim exclusively relates to Noonan Services security workers at Shannon Airport.
“The court notes, and accepts, that the union agrees that this recommendation is not intended to have knock-on implications within the security industry and will not have any application to any other circumstance within the security industry,” it added.
The Labour Court said that Noonan and Siptu should meet to negotiate “an appropriate allowance that reflects the specialist duties”, although that deal should have ”due regard for the commercial circumstances and exigencies of the employer’s contract with its client”.
The court also said that in return for the introduction of any allowance, the security workers must fully co-operate with all regulatory, training and assessment requirements as determined by Noonan.
It said that the two parties should complete their negotiations within two months from the date of the mid-June judgement.
Shannon security
A spokesman for Siptu said that the union wasn’t able to provide any more detail on the dispute, such as whether the security staff’s pay claim related to extra work performed as a result of Shannon’s use as a US military stopover.
It also did not say if there had been any progress in the negotiations. Noonan Services hadn’t responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Written by Paul O’Donoghue and posted on Fora.ie
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It is a unique and special situation. Noonan security staff are assisting and collaborating in the US war campaign. Ireland is taking a blind eye approach to the facilitation of the US war effort. It is inconsistent with our declared position of neutrality.
@Tony Daly: Our policy was as inconsistent when we correctly brought allied pilots safely to the border, but interned luftwaffe pilots.
@Tony Daly: there is no us war campaign, it is a campaign of terror using terrorists to commit terrorism
@Tony Daly: The Republic of Ireland is not now nor has ever been “Neutral”. We are “Non Aligned” and that has been the offical position of the State since the Second World War. We as such can choose to assist “Any” country in Any way, we deem to be friendly.
@Honeybadger197: what we had in WW2 was “benevolent” Neutrality. It was the only way to defend a defenceless country. When it looked like Germany might win we issued statements favourable to them. When the danger to us passed owing to the defensive shield provided by Britain we gave them every cooperation short of declaring war on Germany. Whilst we might be technically neutral we are still firmly in the UK/USA camp.Hence the willingness to take the Americans at their word when they say no weapons coming through Shannon. We don’t even spot search their aircraft. Obviously we are not going to do anything that would jeopardise our trading relations with these superpowers.We now have “practical” neutrality to protect our own interests.Our geographical position on the globe also dictates this.
@Tony Daly: the US aren’t the only ones using the airport for military reasons….
If the terms and conditions and rate of pay is so bad, why don’t the employees quit and get another job? Or start another company and bid for the contract with the airport the next time the contract is up?
@Mary Murphy: These are unions we’re talking about Mary. Common sense doesn’t feature very high up on their agenda.
Unions have turned into a joke
Wonder how much they were making
Nothing unique about kissing a war mongering nations ass
@Nameless: better to kiss than to get invaded
@Jamie: invaded by the yanks very doubtful & if anything its drawing the likes of isis here
@Nameless: I’d imagine they’re here already
@Nameless: mmm if America didn’t exist or they just withdrew completely from world affairs what would future generations prefer do you think, Russia or China or a bit of a combo of both with some Sharia law thrown in here and there? In any scenario free speech would eventually be gone.
have your say