Airline crew’s ‘No’ to rest time cut

AER LINGUS cabin crew yesterday told the company it will not allow them to cut its rest time on long-haul flights — and any attempt to force it through as part of cost-saving measures would be met with appropriate action.

The company met with IMPACT, which represents 1,300 cabin crew and SIPTU, which represents 100, in the Labour Court over this issue.

It is a part of the company’s Programme for Continuous Improvement (PCI-07), which provides for cost-cutting measures across the board.

The document has met with stiff opposition from Aer Lingus workers since it was first proffered in December 2006.

It almost grounded the airline’s operations through strike action.

Yesterday’s meeting came just days after angry correspondence was exchanged between the company and the unions. The dispute is over what Aer Lingus claims is a blocking position taken by both unions against PCI-07.

IMPACT spokeswoman Christina Carney said: “We put our position that cabin crew have given over and above their share and with a proper rostering system the changes they are looking for might not be necessary at all. The cabin crew are more productive than the company are alleging.

“The company wants to reduce rest and recovery time for transatlantic flights. Our members need that recovery time and furthermore in the Fly Anywhere agreement, as an alternative to the reduction of rest time, we will reduce crew numbers onboard. They want their way and they want it now.”

She said the company has been putting pressure on to implement PCI-07 sooner rather than later but the union would not be rushed.

“We have to go through a consultative process and the crew has to agree to whatever changes may or may not take place. Any attempt to implement PCI-07 without complete consultation would be clearly a breach of existing agreements. It would run contrary to the guarantees that they gave to all staff pre-initial public offering (IPO).”

However, chief executive Dermot Mannion has already spelled out his determination that yesterday’s meeting was the end of third-party mediation and PCI-07 must now go ahead.