Employees reject 4.5% pay rise plan

Workers at the Athlone unit of US healthcare giant Covidien have rejected a Labour Court recommendation giving employees a 4.5% pay increase over three years.

Siptu is seeking a €1 per hour increase for its 440 members at the plant where the majority of the trade union’s members currently earn €11.67 per hour working as general operatives.

Siptu’s organiser in the medical devices sector, Frank Jones, yesterday said that “the ball is firmly back in the company’s court” after the decision by workers to reject the Labour Court recommendation.