# Workplace Relations Commission

Last month

December 2022

# Fishing industry

Underpaid and overworked: The serious allegations by migrant fishers to the WRC

Analysis of cases heard by Workplace Relations Commission paint grim picture.

Fishers took cases against vessel owners, with some awarded thousands in compensation

Findings include 72-hour working weeks, forging of mandatory employment records and unfair dismissal

11.6k

Dec 4th 2022, 9:45 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

'We had to eat leftover meat and fish': Modern slavery in the Irish fishing industry

A report by

Maria Delaney and Geela Garcia

Migrant fishers who left vessels due to exploitative treatment ‘ignored’ in recent cross-departmental review.

Inspection reports reveal potential trafficking and deficiencies relating to hours of work and rest

Researcher: "The problems in Ireland can be traced to very specific policies and laws here"

25.6k

Dec 2nd 2022, 12:30 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

Irish justice system 'failing' migrant fishing workers who report exploitation

A report by

Maria Delaney and Geela Garcia

Our investigation finds 35 referrals of human trafficking in sector – but no prosecutions.

US report states Ireland has systemic deficiencies in victim identification, referral and assistance

Alleged trafficking victim: "It hurt. I felt the punch land. I told him if he did that again I’d report him."

9.2k

Dec 1st 2022, 12:05 AM

Last year

2022

# compensation

Primary school ordered to pay €12,000 to girl with Down Syndrome kept separate from classmates

The Workplace Relations Commission heard the girl had to spend most of her school day in a foyer outside the classroom.

23.7k

Nov 9th 2022, 5:40 PM

# Sexual Harassment

Cafe owner ordered to pay €2,500 to teenage waitress in sexual harassment case

The WRC found that the cafe owner had discriminated against the young woman under the Employment Equality Act.

58.3k

Oct 9th 2022, 11:44 AM

# pay talks

Public sector unions to ballot members on proposed 6.5% pay increase

The talks at the Work Place Relations ended late last night.

The pay increases are to be phased in over two years.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has said that individual unions will ballot their members on the proposed deal.

ICTU's Kevin Callinan said the negotiations with government were "particularly difficult".

71.2k

Updated Aug 30th 2022, 5:10 PM

# pay talks

Public sector pay talks resume as 1% improvement in govt offer floated

Previous talks in June ended without an agreement between ICTU and the Government.

34.6k

Updated Aug 29th 2022, 1:13 PM

# WRC

Tipperary Chamber of Commerce ordered to pay €20k for unfair dismissal of chief executive

The WRC said the decision to dismiss Shanahan was “not within the range of reasonable responses of a reasonable employer”.

21.8k

Aug 24th 2022, 12:20 PM

# mr price

Mr Price ordered to pay €20,000 for discriminating against worker sacked on maternity

Elena Balan told the WRC that she had been “frozen” in shock after learning that she had been fired.

47.4k

Jul 9th 2022, 2:00 PM

# WRC

Sexual harassment case by Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh against RTÉ postponed until September

The Nationwide presenter is alleging she was sexually harassed, victimised and isolated at the national broadcaster.

41.6k

Jun 29th 2022, 1:03 PM

# compensation

School ordered to pay €3,300 to 60-year-old teacher over 'energy' question during job interview

The teacher lost out in the job competition to an applicant who was 30 years younger.

71.9k

Jun 15th 2022, 7:13 PM

# facemasks

Customer fails in facemask discrimination case against €1 million lotto shop

When asked by the shop owner whether or not he would wear a mask in the shop, Paul Kinsella refused.

30.9k

Jun 15th 2022, 2:50 PM

# rising inflation

Public service pay talks are now officially underway

The talks will be facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission from next week.

19.3k

Jun 9th 2022, 3:17 PM

# Labour Court

Medical scientists to suspend strike action next week and will return to WRC for talks

The three days of strike action planned for next week have all been suspended, say the MLSA.

5.4k

May 25th 2022, 10:23 PM

# Discrimination

Hotel ordered to pay €5,000 for discriminating against bride-to-be from Traveller Community

The woman did not receive a response until a complaint was made under the Equal Status Act.

67.7k

May 21st 2022, 3:19 PM

# Workplace

Store assistant harassed in workplace but employer not found liable, WRC rules

The employee was sexually harassed by a manager in the supermarket where she worked.

24.0k

May 5th 2022, 2:53 PM

# WRC

Couple ordered to pay 18-year-old Spanish au pair €9,100 over sexual harassment

The au pair said that the man’s actions left her “feeling unsafe, fearful, intimidated, degraded, humiliated and her dignity violated”.

56.7k

Mar 21st 2022, 7:23 PM

# WRC

Mushroom farm ordered to pay €15,000 to former worker for breaching minimum wage law

Ana Lacramioara Manciu alleged that Stablefield Ltd falsified her working hours to reflect a much shorter working day.

31.9k

Mar 10th 2022, 4:04 PM

# WRC

Dublin's Gresham Hotel ordered to pay out €500 to 'humiliated' man over Covid mask incident

The case was brought before the Workplace Relations Commission.

34.5k

Mar 8th 2022, 1:25 PM

# WRC

Cork hotel ordered to pay €22,000 to homeless Traveller family in discrimination case

The hotel has been ordered to pay out €38,000 to members of the Travelling community since the start of last month.

30.7k

Mar 2nd 2022, 3:42 PM

# WRC

Former Fine Gael party secretary to take claim over being forced to retire at 65

The party will face the Workplace Relations Commission on Thursday morning.

30.6k

Feb 28th 2022, 7:15 PM

# WRC

Firm to pay €40k to man dismissed for sending 'inappropriate' Family Guy message to colleague

The Workplace Relations Commission found that Regeneron unfairly dismissed Robert Libera for gross misconduct.

83.1k

Jan 23rd 2022, 2:55 PM

All time

# Discrimination

Organic farm ordered to pay €8,000 in compensation after telling HIV-positive man to leave farm

The man alleged that after being told that he could no longer work at the organic farm, two requests to have a shower were refused.

63.1k

Dec 13th 2021, 7:45 AM

# WRC

Sacristan unfairly dismissed after pandemic affected local Church finances

The Workplace Relations Commission upheld his claim.

30.3k

Nov 19th 2021, 5:19 PM

# water workers

Talks to resume next month on transfer of local authority staff to Irish Water

Discussions took place during the summer and they are set to resume again in mid-October.

16.2k

Sep 22nd 2021, 6:00 AM

# compensation

Sport firm dismisses credit controller after Covid childcare issue in remote working row

The Workplace Relations Commission has recommended that the firm pay her €10,000 in compensation.

35.6k

Aug 13th 2021, 4:50 PM

# compensation

DCU told to pay €27,500 for victimising former employee who made sexual harassment complaint

Rene O’Reilly told the hearing that her “reputation was ruined because of the dismissal and she was out of work for a year and lost her home”.

30.7k

May 31st 2021, 10:21 PM

# Hyde and Seek

Creche which featured in Prime Time exposé appeals order to pay €12,800 to whistleblower

The owners claim they never received a protected disclosure.

21.2k

May 19th 2021, 8:07 PM

# Unfair Dismissal

Firm ordered to pay €10,000 to worker made redundant during first Covid-19 lockdown

The case was recently heard at the Workplace Relations Commission.

43.4k

Mar 25th 2021, 3:53 PM

# transdev

Unfair dismissal claim fails after Luas operator fired inspector who knelt on passenger's legs for 10 minutes

The incident took place at the Bluebell Luas stop in September 2019.

55.2k

Mar 16th 2021, 3:06 PM

# Passports

Department of Foreign Affairs dismisses worker for issuing fraudulent passports after five-year paid suspension

The worker was eventually dismissed in December 2019 after the suspension.

52.3k

Feb 19th 2021, 3:06 PM

# WRC

Employer ordered to pay worker €3,712 after rejecting Covid-19 remote working proposal

The case was heard before the Workplace Relations Commission.

41.2k

Jan 26th 2021, 1:43 PM

# WRC

Dublin Starbucks outlet ordered to pay €12k to customer after employee drew 'slanty' eyes on cup

A spokesperson for Starbucks said they are “deeply sorry” the incident occured.

39.1k

Jan 19th 2021, 1:52 PM

# Discrimination

WRC finds Dublin school discriminated against Catholic girl by favouring Church of Ireland students

The school denied discrimination and said there is no non fee-paying Church of Ireland school in the area.

30.5k

Dec 24th 2020, 3:18 PM

# WRC

Man loses claim for unfair dismissal after sacking for sexual assault of colleague at Christmas party is upheld

The case was recently heard by the Workplace Relations Commission.

53.4k

Nov 19th 2020, 4:45 PM

# WRC

Catering firm ordered to pay €3,500 to worker over boss's boxer shorts photo

The woman resigned from the company after finding the images “quite disgusting and most upsetting”.

41.9k

Nov 19th 2020, 1:37 PM

# The Banks

Union seeks 'urgent' WRC intervention over Bank of Ireland's plan to cut workforce by 1,400

The Financial Services Union has written to the WRC seeking conciliation.

13.1k

Aug 19th 2020, 11:58 AM

# direct provision

Ban on learner driver permits for asylum seekers not discrimination, court rules

The ruling overturns a previous finding in favour of people living in direct

32.0k

Jul 30th 2020, 6:12 PM

# Workplace Relations Commission

Quadriplegic passenger awarded €10,000 after airline stopped him travelling in business class

The airline said the harness required by the man would be dangerous in business class seats.

35.1k

Jul 23rd 2020, 3:03 PM

# WRC

'She was left vulnerable': 64-year-old woman awarded €10,000 after being fired over age and illness

The woman took a discrimination case against her employer, a residential disability service.

28.7k

Jun 26th 2020, 10:15 AM