In 1997, the Labour Court recommended that Tara Mines Limited pay 51 development miners 50% of the figure in dispute over retrospective bonus earnings for March to November 1994. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union argued that the bonus scheme provided for retrospective payment after the parties settled a dispute over the productivity standard. The Court said an expectation of retrospective payment existed based on past practice, but found the claimants had contributed in a major way to the drop in performance. Its recommendation was dated 11 February 1997.