Caterers in line for €1,100 payment to surrender 'luxury consumables' and overtime

A group of catering workers at UCD are to receive an early Christmas present of €1,100 each in exchange for surrendering their perk of free Coca Cola, Mars Bars, and other ‘luxury consumables’, along with the loss of overtime at the main Belfield campus restaurant.

The 18 catering workers represented by Siptu in their dispute with UCD have long had the perk of Coca Cola, Cadbury’s Milk Chocolate, and Snickers, along with other branded items, for free at the Belfield restaurant.

Arising from recommendations made in an independent report on the matter, UCD offered to “buy-out” the workers’ privilege of accessing the brand goods for free.

Siptu rejected the offer on behalf of its members resulting in the case going to the Labour Court after local talks and talks before the Labour Relations Commission failed.

Siptu was also seeking compensation for the loss of earnings experienced by members as a result of the loss of regular and rostered overtime.

Before the Labour Court, Siptu maintained that the availability of luxury items to its members and the non-recording of food at the till forms part of the terms and conditions of employment protected by the terms of a collective agreement with the university.

Siptu said it strongly opposed UCD’s proposed changes to the workers’ work practices covered by the collective agreement.

In response, UCD said it accepted the recommendation of the third-party assessor which calculated the buy-out of the luxury items which are free of charge to these employees and said that it previously offered compensation to the union for the loss of the regular and rostered overtime.

The Labour Court has recommended that the employer make a once-off payment of €1,100 in full and final settlement. The Labour Court also recommended there should be no self-service of meals by the 18 staff.