Airport strike set to get green light

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.

The Aer Rianta workers’ unions are opposed to the planned break-up of the company because they claim it will lead to job losses.

Aer Rianta unions have asked Transport Minister Seamus Brennan to appoint an independent chairperson to review what effect the decision to break-up the company will have on their jobs.

The minister agreed on Friday to appoint an independent chairperson to review the terms and conditions of employment of Aer Rianta workers.

But SIPTU negotiator Dermot O’Loughlin said this is no good because the minister has imposed too many conditions on the independent chairperson’s appointment.

“The minister says we cannot discuss the planned break-up of the company with the independent chairperson even though we have evidence that the loss of 900,000 passengers at Shannon airport will lead to job losses,” Mr O’Loughlin said.

It is expected that the Aer Rianta unions will reject Mr Brennan’s offer today and give the go-ahead for a work stoppage from 11am to 1pm.

A spokesman for the minister said Aer Rianta workers balloted for strike because Mr Brennan was not providing a review of their pay and conditions. He said the minister has offered to appoint a third party to examine any fears the workers might have.

The minister, he said, also made it clear there would be no compulsory redundancies and the company would stay in State ownership. The spokesman added: “Aer Rianta were not balloted on the break-up, so why are they striking about this now?”

Meanwhile, it also emerged yesterday that an Aer Rianta board worker is to launch a constitutional challenge to the break-up of the company.

A prominent Dublin law firm has informed Mr Brennan and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy it has prepared grounds for standing down the Aer Rianta Board and challenging the policy in the High Court.

Solicitors from Eugene F Collins have advised both ministers the Aer Rianta board cannot exercise their corporate responsibilities in good faith because they have a conflict of interest.

It will be argued that members of the Aer Rianta Board are now “interested parties” in the designate boards at Shannon, Cork and Dublin and they have access to commercially sensitive information that will be of benefit to the new competing entities.