Union calls for Aer Lingus ‘bullying’ probe

A TRADE union representing staff at Aer Lingus has called for an independent investigation into the alleged bullying culture at the national airline.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport heard from a range of unions yesterday, all of which criticised the airline’s industrial relations record.

Christina Carney of IMPACT, representing cabin crew, said: “It is our view that Aer Lingus management, in a planned and systematic way, attempted to make their working lives uncertain, miserable and unstable.”

She said that, contrary to management claims, the airline had implemented controversial measures aimed at coercing workers into accepting redundancy.

Those so-called “push factors” came to light earlier this year when an internal management document outlining the measures was leaked.

In July, Aer Lingus chairman John Sharman said the document was a “discussion paper” that had never been “embraced or approved”.

But Ms Carney yesterday outlined a number of instances where, she said, the push factors had clearly been implemented. She said these included a failure by the company to provide “fair and equitable rosters”.

Her IMPACT colleague, Michael Landers, said the industrial relations culture at the airline was “antagonistic” and characterised by “a lack of trust, inability to resolve issues internally, and a reluctance to accept third-party findings”.

There was a history of the airline breaking promises and agreements, he said, which had resulted in staff’s “automatic suspicion of all management initiatives”.

Low morale and a “them and us” culture now prevailed, he added.

Brian Gormley of Amicus, representing craft workers, said an independent investigation was needed to determine how long unacceptable practices had been pursued by the airline, and who was responsible.

It was difficult to believe there could be immediate improvements at Aer Lingus, he added, when management had denied the “push factors” were ever implemented.

Committee chairman John Ellis said some of the practices at the airline had been “totally unacceptable”. The committee will speak with Aer Lingus management again before compiling a report on the matter.

The committee also heard yesterday from the Retired Aviation Staff Association.

The association’s 7,000 members - all former Aer Rianta and Aer Lingus employees - want their pensions increased to match those of other public-sector retirees.

The members’ pensions are not index-linked and, as a result, have fallen in value by 50% since 1990, according to the association.