Kingscourt, Ireland – Kingspan, an Irish polyurethane insulated panel maker, has been forced to award its workers in Kingscourt a 2% pay rise by the Irish Labour Court.
The company argued that it must continue to maintain current cost levels to remain viable, according to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper. Kingspan argued that meeting the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union’s claim would “affect the long-term future of the company.”
The SITPU told the court that workers had not had a pay rise since 2007 and that its members had suffered a fall in pay and conditions since 2010.
The court found that the workers had “contributed significantly to the viability of the company” and should receive a pay rise in line with other local firms.
If agreed by union members at the plant, which are due to be balloted in the week of 15 July, the rise will come into effect in October 2014.
Earlier in the 2014 Kingspan reported that it sees strong profit growth in 2013.
