Airport chaos looms as unions threaten industrial action

AER LINGUS passengers could be flying into industrial unrest this weekend unless turbulence between the unions and the company on job cuts is averted.

Services at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports could be disrupted from noon on Saturday if the airline’s chief executive, Willie Walsh, refuses to lift the September 14 deadline for acceptance of his €80 million plan to axe 1,300 jobs.

SIPTU national industrial secretary Michael Halpenny yesterday said the union had already secured sanction from its members for industrial action from tomorrow.

He said the company was putting a “gun to the head” of workers at a time when even management agreed there was no immediate threat to the airline and it was on schedule to report a €100m profit this year.

He said if management refuses the union’s request for a lifting of the deadline, and proper negotiations, it will convene a general meeting of its members in all three airports on Saturday. Mr Halpenny’s comments came after 50 shop stewards representing thousands of the airline’s workforce met in Dublin and endorsed the stance of SIPTU and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions against privatisation of the airline.

Mr Halpenny said the criticism by the Irish Exporters Association and leading employers of the airline’s decision to largely exit air freight, underlined the unions’ view that a responsible and measured approach is required to secure the future of the national airline.

He said the Government, as the principal shareholder of the airline, had a responsibility to ensure 1,325 jobs were not shed at the whim of a badly thought-out, commercially-driven plan which had no regard to the wider community.

SIPTU has also expressed concern about Mr Walsh heading up the management team who drew up the plan, having already declared their intention to acquire the semi-State company. The union claims there is a conflict of interest.