Staff vote to strike against airport cuts

STAFF at Shannon Airport last night voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a bid to head off more than 200 planned job losses.

The ballot, described as precautionary by SIPTU officials, came after management at the State-owned airport considered plans to axe half of Shannon’s 550 jobs by outsourcing catering and cleaning jobs.

Last night’s endorsement of strike action by a majority of 90% is a clear indication that unions are prepared to fight to the end to force the Government to maintain a commitment of “jobs for life” that was secured in advance of the break-up of Aer Rianta.