THE Mandate trade union has called on the Early Learning Centre to agree to a Labour Court hearing on the issue of trade union recognition at the company's Cork branch. The union has also called on the employers' organisation IBEC to encourage the company to attend.
The British based company is part of Menzies, the large British retail group, and has six branches in the Republic. It is a non union company and refused to negotiate with Mandate.
Mandate has been involved in a 16 week strike for recognition. Both sides attended talks at the Labour Relations Commission on Tuesday but these broke down. The company has put expansion plans in the Republic on hold because of the dispute.
