1,200 jobs under threat at aircraft maintenance firm

THE 1,200 staff at airline maintenance firm SR Technics’ Irish operation will find out this morning whether they are to lose their jobs at Dublin Airport.

Management will meet with union representatives at 8.30am before addressing staff at 9.30am.

While it is unclear what the nature of the announcement will be, one union source said it was never a good sign when unions and staff were called to meetings.

The future of the maintenance firm has been the subject of speculation ever since it lost three of the four lucrative contracts it had held with Aer Lingus last year.

In June SR Technics, formerly known as TEAM Aer Lingus, managed to persuade workers to accept new working arrangements at Dublin Airport which meant it could keep on the 1,200 staff.

However, then in January, it revealed it had lost a maintenance contract with Gulf Air, most of which work was carried out in Dublin.

It is understood the company’s chief executive Bernt Kessler held a meeting with Tánaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday to discuss the company’s difficulties.

Labour’s transport spokesman Tommy Broughan said: “There are perhaps as many as 5,000 to 10,000 dependent jobs in the wider economy, as well as the crucial spending power that SR Technics’ workers and their families contribute to the local and national economies.

“It is critical that both the Government and the IDA do everything possible to address this ominous situation,” he added.