Unions await publication of Aer Lingus cost-cutting plans

Unions at Aer Lingus are eagerly awaiting the publication of the company's new cost-cutting plans later today.

Management at the newly-privatised airline is seeking to make savings of around €75m a year, fuelling fears of possible voluntary redundancies.

Union officials, however, say they received assurances before the privatisation of the airline that jobs would be protected.

SIPTU spokesman Christy McQuillan says the sell-off of the national carrier was designed to help it raise money for future expansion and any lay-offs would fly in the face of this goal.

He says the plan due out today will probably be aimed at improving efficiency and has been mislabelled as a cost-cutting initiative.