In April-May 1999, it became clear that Irish employers in the public and private sectors are set to face a raft of claims for special once-off payments on behalf of staff who have to work on Millennium eve, 31 December 1999, and over the subsequent weekend.
Employers are facing demands for special once-off payments from employees who will have to work on Millennium eve, 31 December 1999, or over the subsequent weekend (1-2 January 2000). These include, for example: workers in key information technology (IT) areas who need to monitor the computer problems associated with the year 2000 (Y2K) "Millennium bug" (whereby some computers will be unable to deal with the change in date); staff working in essential services, such as nurses, firefighters and the police; those in the entertainment and restaurant industries; and others who may be on-call in case of emergency.
Given the unique nature of the occasion, no precedents exist for such claims, apart from the normal bank holiday pay arrangements that apply every New Year. However the combination of the Millennium and the "Millennium bug" factor make claims inevitable.
The bidding started in earnest on 17 April 1999 following a "IEP 2,000 for year 2000" demand for IT staff made by the Irish Bank Officials' Association (IBOA). The bank workers' union wants IEP 500 a day for any of its members who are asked to work over the Millennium weekend and the two extra public holiday days which all workers will have (the Irish government's has declared New Year's Eve a once-off special holiday).
Gardai (police) sergeants and inspectors are understood to have lodged a IEP 1,000 special claim and craft union members in one of Dublin's main hospitals are looking for IEP 1,500 per person for work performed between 18.00 on Millennium eve and 06.00 the next day.
The director general of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), John Dunne, has ruled out any national formula for the payment of such "special" deals, which means that private sector agreements are likely to be negotiated at local level. Meanwhile, with regard to the public service, the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the government are to discuss the issue in the near future.
It is where IT staff are required over the Millennium weekend that unions hold the strongest negotiating cards. Such employees look set to secure a premium payment if they are to be attracted to work, unless they are already contractually obliged to do so.
With some restaurants and bars suggesting they will charge significantly more for services provided, it is inevitable that employees in the food and drink industry will look for more than the normal holiday payments. The union representing shop and bar workers, MANDATE, has demanded that its members be able to take advantage of the government's special extra holiday. However, if they have to work they must be paid a premium rate for so doing, the union insists.