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GAZETTE
OCTOBER 1978
18.5
It is now over three years since I first became involved with the Society's
current efforts to have the level of costs provided for in the statutory scales reviewed.
During that time the Society acknowledging its obligations to the national policy, has co-
operated fully with the National Prices Commission and the various Rules Committees, in
its efforts to have the existing very inadequate level of costs adjusted. It is unfortunate,
therefore, that after three years of work one can only report "no progress". Whatever the
outcome of the existing negotiations, it seems to me that for the future the Society should
make every effort to ensure that a less cumbersome review machinery is made available.
18.6
To conclude, I would like to thank Mr. Barry, Coopers and Lybrand, and, in
particular, the President, for their help and encouragement over a frustrating year.
LAW SOCIETY
REPRESENTATIVES
ON THE
LAW CLERKS
JOINT LABOUR
COMMITTEE
Francis X. Burke
Laurence CuOen
Gerard M. Doyle
Patrick McEntee
Enda C. Gearty
Gerald J. Moloney
Robert McD. Taylor
19.1
During the year two full meetings of the Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee
were held in the offices of the Labour Court, Mespil Road, Dublin.
19.2
A motion was proposed by P. J. O'Brien of the Workers' Representatives:
"That wage rates, as contained in the existing Employment Regulation Order, be
increased by 20%." After some discussion Mr. O'Brien reworded his motion as follows:
"That wage rates as contained in the existing Employment Regulation Order be increased
by the terms of the 1977 and 1978 National Agreements." The increases would apply at
all points of the scale and 1 April 1979 would be the due date for the application of the
second phase (2%) of the 1978 National Agreement. The proposal was seconded and
unanimously agreed. The minimum rates specified by E.R.O. (L.C. N. 42) are:
(1) Managing Clerks
Date of Order 1/4/79
Per week
£59.09
£60.27
(2) Conveyancing Clerks and Cost Clerks
1st year of employment, per week
£51.39
£52.41
2nd year of employment, per week
£53.67
£54.74
3rd year of employment, per week
£55.82
£56.94
(3) General Law Clerks (17 years of age and over)
1st year of employment, per week
£35.12
£35.82
2nd year of employment, per week
£36.05
£36.77
3rd year of employment, per week
£36.66
£37.38
4th year of employment, per week
£38.06
£38.82
5th year of employment, per week
£40.72
£41.53
6th year of employment, per week
£43.40
£44.27
7th year of employment, per week
£46.04
£46.96
8th year of employment, per week
£49.16
£50.15
9th year of employment, per week
£51.66
£52.69
The minimum rates specified by E.R.O. (L.C. N. 42) are:
(4) Shorthand Typists/Typists
1st year of employment, per week
£32.38
£33.03
2nd year of employment, per week
£33.60
£34.27
3rd year of employment, per week
£34.91
£35.61
4th year of employment, per week
£35.65
£36.36
5th year of employment, per week
£38.56
£39.33
6th year of employment, per week
£40.50
£41.31
7th year of employment, per week
£42.94
£43.80
8th year of employment, per week
£46.02
£46.94
19.3
The Council expressed concern that any solicitor should fail to pay the
statutory minimum. However, as no specific names had been forwarded to die Law
Society and the Department of Labour was not prepared to disclose names of the firms
concerned the Council regretted that no useful action could be taken by them. Council
was of the opinion that the individual Bar Associations, with the benefit of superior local
knowledge, could help to ensure that solicitors in their area would not pay less than the
statutory minimum wage.
19.4
Council warns members that failure to pay the prescribed minimum rate will
leave the particular member open to prosecution. The Department of Labour intends to
prosecute without further warning in all cases of non-payment of the prescribed minimum
rate.
19.5
It is very difficult for the Society to achieve good public relations for our
profession if some members are consistently in breach of the statutory minimum rates.
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