Mandate call on Egan to attend Labour Court The Trade Union representing Turf Club officials today called on Turf Club Chief Executive Denis Egan to attend the Labour Court in order to resolve the issues behind their dispute. Mandate Trade Union issued a press release urging the Turf Club to make every attempt to resolve its dispute with its officials before “serious damage and disruption is done to the Irish horseracing calendar and the reputation of Irish horseracing internationally”. The Union stated that they feel the only way that a solution can be reached at this stage is if both parties attend the Labour Court. Mandy Kane, Divisional Organiser for Mandate said, “We want to be clear and state that Mandate and the Turf Club officials do not want this dispute to go ahead, and we certainly don’t want to upset the horseracing public. “We would much prefer to attend the Labour Court to resolve this and it is in the interests of all involved, including Mr Egan, so we are urging him as strongly as possible to accept an invitation to the Labour Court to discuss the issues.” Mandate explained that they gave the Turf Club over two weeks notice of industrial action despite only being legally obliged to give the employer one weeks notice. “One of the principle reasons we have given above the statutory required notice to the Turf Club is to allow them to review the situation and allow Mr Egan to play his part in resolving this needless dispute,” said Kane. Egan has said previously that the Turf Club is not refusing to attend the Labour Court, but is instead reserving its position on attendance. However, Mandate said today that they believe that Egan does not want to attend a hearing at the Labour Court and questioned his motives. “We have now gone beyond the time of posturing about whether or not the Turf Club will attend the Labour Court. Mr Egan has a choice to make. He can choose to attend the Labour Court and resolve this dispute or he can choose to force these officials to strike upsetting the whole of the Irish horseracing industry,” said Kane. “The Turf Club is attempting to force extreme pay cuts of up to 36.5% on our members despite not proving that these levels of reductions are necessary. "These cuts are also disproportionate to that of other workers in the organisation. Mandate has already publicly stated that the officials accept cost cutting measures may be necessary, but not in the manner that Mr Egan is proposing. “We have tabled a proposal for cost reductions which would have delivered another 10.5% of savings on top of income cuts the officials have already experienced during 2008 and 2009 – approximately 10-15%,” said Ms Kane. “We cannot emphasise enough that we do not want a strike to take place, nor do we want to upset horse racing supporters or the racing calendar, but sometimes your hand is forced and this is what Mr Egan is doing to the Turf Club officials. “There really only appears to be one way to resolve this and that’s through the Labour Court, so again, we are challenging and urging that Mr Egan do what is fair and proper by accepting our invitation.” The strike is set to commence on Sunday 28th February when there are two race meetings scheduled at Leopardstown and Clonmel.
