Forum Unions Maltin has written to the Prime Minister and the Consumer Affairs Minister saying changes to the current set up of industrial tribunals should include the appointment of a full time magistrate or judge to preside over the cases.

The number of cases raised before the tribunal as well as potential cases that ended up before the courts allowed instead for the setting up of a specialised court.

FORUM recommended that the court should be aided by a representative chosen by trade unions and another selected by employers.

It said it was against interim measures and rushed decisions which could further jeopardise sentences given.

Last week, Parliament started to debate a “temporary solution” to enable theTribunal to keep functioning following a Constitutional Court’s ruling that the tribunal’s current set up was unconstitutional.

Amendments proposed include a guarantee for the security of tenure of the tribunal members, changes to the practice where the tribunal asked for legal advice without the parties’ knowledge, and to allow for appeals on points of fact.
Moreover the Employment Relations Board would be involved in the appointment of the tribunal’s chairman.