Aer Arann flights risk being grounded over dispute

AER ARANN flights into and out of Irish airports look increasingly likely to be grounded for an indefinite period in the coming days as relations between the airline and its workers took another turn for the worse yesterday.

The company and SIPTU, the union representing check-in, boarding, dispatch and baggage workers are at odds over the outsourcing of 40 workers to Sky Handling Partners later this month.

The airline has said it is outsourcing the workers so it can realise “significant cost savings for the airline, while maintaining high standards of service for our customers”.

Yesterday afternoon there appeared to be a resolution in sight when SIPTU stopped short of re-instituting a ballot for industrial action so workers could meet with the company for intensive talks today.

However, the detente was short lived after the airline issued a statement on the situation.

In that statement, it said the affected staff “were offered a position in Sky Handling, with conditions as favourable, or more favourable, as they currently enjoy”.

It also reiterated it does not recognise SIPTU as the collective bargaining agent for workers and would not meet the union’s call for the transfer of staff to be postponed.

“It is Aer Arann’s understanding that SIPTU would not attend a meeting unless we would suspend the date of the transfer of ownership of ground handling operations on June 25 to Sky Handling indefinitely,” the airline said. “In other words, SIPTU would only meet with the LRC, with preconditions. As Aer Arann has a legal contract with Sky Handling for transfer of ground handling operations on June 25, this is not possible.”

Dermot O’Loughlin of the union said he had detailed documentation which showed the new pay scales would definitely not be favourable to at least some of the workers. He said that even if the company refused to recognise SIPTU in the case, the union would continue to fight for the rights of the workers.

He also said today’s talks would go ahead but that if there was no resolution of the dispute, the union and workers would revert to the ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action.

If the ballot favours action, the strike action could be instituted after a week’s notice.

The threat of industrial action was first instituted by the union last Wednesday. However, the action was suspended when it appeared the matter might be dealt with through the LRC. However, those proposals also fell through at the end of last week and the ballot was expected to be re-instituted yesterday.