Bitter Manor dispute comes to an end
The strike at Our Lady's Manor Nursing Home n Edgeworthstown, one of the longest running industrial disputes in the country, has finally come to an end.
SIPTU officials confirmed workers and senior management at the Edgeworthstown nursing home had made a deal last Friday following a series of talks in a Mullingar Hotel.
It's understood the conditions of the resolution provide for 23 voluntary redundancies, some of which are also expected to include workers who are not union members.
The exhaustive all-day negotiations which took place in The Mullingar Park Hotel in front of the Rights Commissioner culminated in a range of other work related issues being dealt with.
Among them include assurances over hourly rates of pay, the re-establishment of a sick pay scheme and other work related benefits.
"These terms will provide for a number of voluntary redundancies (23) and that is due to the fact there is only 41 residents in the home at present," Sean Nolan from SIPTU said on Tuesday. "These (statutory redundancies) will cover both union and non union workers.
"Hourly rates of pay will remain the same and the hours worked will now take the form of 78 hour fortnights. Sick pay has been reinstated and employees will contribute around €5 a week to it. Time and a quarter has also been allowed for Sunday premiums. The big thing for us though was the hours and rate of pay."
It is thought a number of workers have yet to decide on whether to return to work or take up the redundancy package on offer.
Colette Lynn, who was one of the workers who took part in the six month stand-off, said some employees were still mulling over the plans drawn up.
"We got a proposal and it's still being discussed among ourselves. It's not 100 per cent either way. We just want to go over the proposal and don't want to rush into anything," she said.
The owner of the nursing home, John Noel McGivney meanwhile insisted an early morning allowance had been waived, double time would now be paid for bank holidays alongside a flat rate of pay for night premiums.
"The proposals we made last March were the proposals they (SIPTU) agreed to. At all times it was our concern to hold jobs in Edgeworthstown and we believe these jobs could have been held last March," he said.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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