Aer Lingus and staff unions in last-ditch effort to avert strike

AER LINGUS and its staff unions will today enter last-ditch talks aimed at averting strike action that would see thousands of passengers grounded over the Christmas period.

The National Implementation Body has invited both sides to Government Buildings at 12.30pm to discuss the airline’s plans to outsource or make redundant 1,300 ground staff and 200 cabin crew.

Neither side has much grounds for optimism.

A Labour Relations Commission process, under Kevin Foley, failed when the airline walked out accusing ground crew union SIPTU of failing to meaningfully seek out an alternative cost-saving proposal that would achieve the €50m in cutbacks required. The only issues that were discussed at that point were the effects of Aer Lingus’s plans on the existing pension scheme and the size of voluntary redundancy packages for those willing to accept them.

If the talks last longer this time, one alternative that might be discussed is a “yellow pack” proposal where staff who wish to take redundancy will leave, the rest will remain and any new staff will be taken on with inferior terms and conditions.

The duration of the talks is likely to be short. Aer Lingus has already indicated it wants to begin its cost-saving plan on December 1. It will not remain in any process that stretches that date unduly.

The airline’s chief executive, Dermot Mannion, has already described the process as unstoppable and irreversible and that viewpoint was reiterated in an interim management statement yesterday in which the airline said it intended to press ahead with what was backed by its board.

Last night, SIPTU, which represents 1,700 staff at Aer Lingus, including 1,300 of those who the airline wants to cut, confirmed it had accepted the invitation to talks, adding that the move was something it had been demanding. IMPACT, which represents the affected cabin crew, will also attend.