Ryanair seeks to ban SIPTU from ever striking at Dublin Airport

RYANAIR have been granted leave to take legal action against SIPTU to try and force the union into an agreement whereby Dublin Airport could never be shut down due to work stoppages or industrial action.

The company will argue before the High Court that the airport is an essential national service and therefore must remain open even in the event of industrial action by Aer Rianta staff.

If successful, it would mean SIPTU would be banned from calling an all-out strike at the airport.

Most recently, union members angered over the Government's decision to plough ahead with the break up of Aer Rianta, threatened strike action on St Patrick Day and in April. They called off the proposed action after a last minute intervention by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

"Ryanair has no difficulty with SIPTU members taking industrial action to highlight their concerns, but these demonstrations must not result in the closure of the airports," Ryanair head of personnel Eddie Wilson said.

The company said it will withdraw from the legal proceedings if SIPTU promises its members will not take action in the future that results in the closure of the airport, which effectively means the union would have to give up the right to have an all-out strike.

While Mr Wilson said there have been three closures or threatened closures in the last nine months, the airport has actually been shut down due to employee action for just one hour in the last six years since the 1998 walkout by Ryanair staff fighting for union recognition.

The one-hour shutdown was for a meeting of airport staff following the announcement last July of the break-up of the State airports.

Ryanair also accused Aer Rianta of failing to put in place an effective contingency plan to keep the runways open in the event of a strike.

Aer Rianta says emergency cover is maintained but that Irish Aviation Authority regulations mean staff at airports have to be properly trained. The company cannot just parachute staff in, such as fire crews or the Defence Forces, as Ryanair has suggested.