Decision time as airline staff consider halting strike
Following last night’s Labour Court recommendation to both sides in the dispute, IMPACT is due to decide this morning whether it will suspend the second day of industrial action.
The Aer Lingus board will also discuss the findings of the Labour Court at its weekly meeting on Thursday.
The company called last night for the immediate suspension of all strike action.
Last night’s recommendation by Labour Court chairman Finbar Flood came a day after 1,000 IMPACT members picketed Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports causing delays and cancellations.
Thursday’s 24-hour stoppage is thought to have cost Aer Lingus over E1m as 20 planes were hired to keep routes open. Hundreds of passengers were sent to hotels in Dublin, Cork, Clare and Limerick.
The dispute centres on a 4% pay rise due under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, in return for which Aer Lingus wants crews to cut turnaround times in half.
It is understood the Labour Court has recommended that cabin crews co-operate with the Aer Lingus plan over a three-month period which will be closely monitored before the court assesses the affect of the changes on work practices.
Subject to acceptance, the 4% increase will be backdated to last March while a second 3% pay rise due under the partnership programme will be backdated until July.
While there was initial doubt as to whether enough cabin crew representatives could be gathered for this morning’s meeting, since many are on flight duty , union officials confirmed last night that the staff committee would be able to meet today.
Both management and unions attended a full Labour Court hearing last Sunday in a bid to avert the industrial action. However, despite a Labour Court plea not to proceed with any strike action until its ruling, cabin crews proceeded with Thursday’s stoppage.
