Background:

The Complainant was an employee of the Respondent from May 1988 until his retirement in June 2023. The Complainant had served as a representative of a trade union recognised by the Respondent for collective bargaining purposes for approximately 30 years, but in 2018 became a member of a separate trade union, the Independent Trade Union (“the IWU”) which was not recognised by the Respondent. The Complainant wished to receive paid release from his normal duties to represent members of the IWU, just as the Respondent provides for representatives of its recognised trade unions. The Respondent refused to do so, and the Complainant made a referral to the Workplace Relations Commission under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 – 2015.