Aer Lingus warn of staff suspensions

AER LINGUS senior management will meet its ground staff face-to-face in each of the airports within the next 48 hours and warn each worker they will be suspended if they engage in two days of planned strike action next week.

In a move reminiscent of its battle with pilots less than a month ago, airline chief executive Dermot Mannion has written to every member of its ground staff telling them they must confirm in writing before next Monday they will not take part in the action planned by SIPTU for next Tuesday and Friday.

That action, four-hour rolling stoppages by 1,800 members including baggage handlers and check-in staff is expected to ground or severely delay more than 20,000 passengers on each day.

“Participants in the threatened industrial action should be aware such conduct may constitute acts that interfere with the proper performance of the company’s business and represent unauthorised absence from duty,” Mr Mannion wrote.

He said those who failed to confirm by 5pm on Monday that they would not take part in the action should instead put in writing their reasons for participating as well as reasons why they should not be suspended from the payroll.

“It is important you understand that if you fail to give the confirmation requested above, or fail to forward adequate grounds for your refusal to do so you will be suspended from the payroll from Tuesday, November 20,” he told workers.

The protest is over the company’s decision to implement contracts under its controversial Programme for Continuing Improvement (PCI-07). Those contracts mean workers will have a smaller pay packet, less holiday entitlements and less overtime.

In yesterday’s letter to staff Dermot Mannion said he would be holding meetings with staff to talk about PCI-07 as well as the threat of strike action. Last night, SIPTU accused Mr Mannion of resorting to “bullyboy tactics” to force through serious cutbacks in pay and conditions. SIPTU’s national industrial secretary Micheal Halpenny said: “The letter is inflammatory and extremely unhelpful. It is clearly intended to intimidate staff.”

Meanwhile, the airline has put its aircraft maintenance operation currently carried out by SR Technics out to tender. This decision is thought to be a further part of its cost-cutting measures.