Union chief denies seeking Labour Court role

THE vice-president of the country’s largest trade union has written to his members to explain that he has not been offered or sought a lucrative €150,000 position in the Labour Court.

Brendan Hayes issued a circular to SIPTU’s 200,000 members refuting claims in a newspaper report published yesterday that he was in the running to become the deputy chair of the court.

That article claimed Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, in her role as Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister, planned to give him the role instead of going through a Public Appointment System to find the candidate.

It also said the Department of Finance had objected to the decision, saying the position should be filled from existing staff at the Labour Court and save the Exchequer the €150,000-a-year salary and special pension.

The article also claimed “everyone at the SIPTU conference last week knew that Brendan Hayes is in line for it”.

However, yesterday the Department of Finance said no one had been selected for the role and that in contrast to claims in the article, the Department of Finance accepted it was Mary Coughlan’s role to appoint the person.

Mr Hayes also sought to clarify his position in relation to the role.

He told members he had never sought any post in the Labour Court, had not been offered such a post and that he had been inaccurately quoted.

“If such a post were available for nomination by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, it would be dealt with by ICTU seeking nominations from affiliated unions. No such notification has been issued by ICTU.

“I was not aware that this was common knowledge at conference last week and I suspect that the assertion to this effect is without foundation. I am aware that other aspects of the story are untrue also.

“I believe the story was run to damage the union, the ICTU and myself personally.”