Aer Lingus has significantly upped the ante in its long-running battle with the country’s largest trade union by moving to sue Siptu and its pensions policy advisor, Dermot O’Loughlin.

Siptu is to seek legal advice on how it can press ahead with strikes at the country’s airports in the event that the ongoing pensions dispute remains unresolved.

The Dublin Airport Authority will next Tuesday seek an injunction preventing Siptu from closing Cork and Dublin airports for four hours on March 14.

Aer Lingus has defended its decision not to up its €110m funding for a staff pension scheme saying it was never required to deliver 100% coordinated coverage.

Aer Lingus has been warned it must up its contribution to the ailing pensions of its staff in order to avert the disruptive industrial action which could hit flights within a matter of weeks.

Siptu will today count the ballot of its members in Aer Lingus to establish whether they, like their colleagues in the Dublin Airport Authority, are prepared to strike over the €800m hole in their pension scheme.

The Six Nations rugby tournament and people returning to Ireland for St Patrick’s Day are likely to be targeted in strikes at Aer Lingus.

A ballot for strike action by Siptu members in Aer Lingus, Dublin Airport Authority, and Shannon Airport Authority will not impact on flights during the Christmas period, the union has pledged.

Aer Lingus is looking to meet with the trustee of the pension fund following the rejection of a plan to plug a €750m hole in the company’s pension scheme by the pensions regulator.

Siptu members at Aer Lingus and the Dublin and Shannon airport authorities have welcomed an interim proposal by the Labour Court for a structured negotiation process to resolve the pensions row at the companies.

Industrial action is again on the cards at Dublin Airport Authority after staff said they were rejecting company proposals on the ailing pension scheme.

Air passengers face disruption from next week and over the Christmas period as Siptu steps up its row with Aer Lingus.

Siptu is once again threatening to ground thousands of Aer Lingus passengers, possibly as early as the end of this month, over what it described as the airline’s decision “to abandon all meaningful and reasonable negotiations” on the ailing pension scheme.

Trade union leaders and state agency managers will be presented with further proposals to squeeze the maximum savings from the Croke Park deal tomorrow.

Monday’s disruptive airport stoppages may have been averted, but there is little optimism that talks at the Labour Relations Commission can resolve the two-year old pension dispute at Aer Lingus and Dublin Airport Authority.

Industrial action by Siptu next Monday will close the country’s three main airports causing travel chaos, Dublin Airport Authority has warned.

Dublin Airport Authority is to ask the High Court next Friday to restrain threatened industrial action by SIPTU that would effectively close down Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports.

DUBLIN Airport Authority boss Declan Collier has refused to confirm whether he intends holding on to or relinquishing the €100,000 bonus he was awarded last year — at a time when payment of bonuses had been halted by the Government.

Up to 450 airport workers were facing redundancy tonight after union members agreed to a breakthrough €40m cost-cutting plan.

SIPTU has accused Transport Minister Noel Dempsey of political cronyism for refusing to consolidate the boards of the country’s three main airports run by the Dublin Airport Authority into one — even though the DAA is looking for €40 million in cost savings.

AS SIPTU yesterday continued its efforts to stop its civil aviation branch dragging all three airports to a halt next Thursday, it emerged the union told the branch several days ago that it would not sanction the strike action.

THE local workforce and management of Swiss airline maintenance company SR Technics are considering forming a limited company to take over the operation at Dublin Airport, it has emerged.

WORKERS at maintenance and ground-handling provider Aviance have voted two to one in favour of a 15% pay cut that will save 150 jobs at Dublin airport.

SIPTU members at Aviance are to ballot on rescue proposals to save 150 jobs at the company’s Irish operation in Dublin airport.

THE Labour Relations Commission has intervened in the pensions dispute between the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and its unions, which threatens to escalate into full-scale strike action.

FIRE and ambulance crews at Dublin Airport have voted to begin industrial action in two weeks in protest at plans to introduce new rostering.

AER ARANN flights into and out of Irish airports look increasingly likely to be grounded for an indefinite period in the coming days as relations between the airline and its workers took another turn for the worse yesterday.

A FORMER Ryanair executive has denied that the airline “ambushed” an air hostess who was sacked for gross misconduct by not giving her prior notice of allegations made against her by other cabin crew.

A FORMER Ryanair executive has denied that the airline “ambushed” an air hostess who was sacked for gross misconduct by not giving her prior notice of allegations made against her by other cabin crew.

FOUR witnesses who were to give evidence in support of a former Ryanair air hostess in an unfair dismissal claim have suddenly indicated they will not attend the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

DUBLIN Airport could be paralysed by a security staff strike over the October Bank Holiday weekend after workers yesterday raised the possibility of a total withdrawal of labour.

UNIONS at Dublin Airport last night threatened strike action within a week if management don’t commit to existing agreements on hiring new staff.

Unions at Dublin Airport tonight threatened strike action within a week if management don’t commit to existing agreements on hiring new staff.

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen said he favoured a majority sell-off of Aer Lingus which would put an end to speculation about the future of the airline.

It is ironic that it should be a union representative who resigned from the Dublin Airport Authority over the deal which will see Ryanair open up nine new routes from Shannon Airport to destinations in Britain and Europe.

Martin Cullen today expressed disappointment over the resignation of the SIPTU director from the Dublin Airport Authority.

AER RIANTA workers are expected to give the go-ahead today for stoppages at Ireland’s three airports that will scuttle the visits of officials and ministers during our EU presidency.

A TWO-HOUR strike at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports on Tuesday morning is expected to get the go-ahead from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions today.

COMPANIES who operate in conjunction with CityJet handling airports throughout the country have been warned by the country’s biggest trade union that they face industrial action if they continue to do so.

SIPTU has told 200 of its members who work at Dublin Airport to frustrate the operations of CityJet Handling, which is refusing union recognition to around 100 of its workers.

Delays are likely at Dublin Airport today when workers down tools to attend a general meeting over the CityJet pay dispute.

SIPTU is warning that the City Jet handling dispute at Dublin airport may spread.

CityJet baggage handlers have vowed to continue their industrial action at Dublin Airport to secure improved pay and conditions.