Aer Lingus staff learn of job losses by text message

SIXTY-FIVE Aer Lingus cabin crew staff on temporary contracts were sent text messages by the company informing them their jobs were gone because of changes to the airline’s winter schedule.

The workers were also told the texts would be followed up with phone calls giving details of their employment termination from the end of the month.

Of the workers affected, 56 are based in Dublin and nine in Cork. Most of the workers have been employed at Aer Lingus for in excess of two years and work on the company’s short-haul services.

“A small number of the workers have worked at the company for less than two years,” said IMPACT trade union official Christina Carney.

“There is a lot of shock and anger at how they have been treated by the company. And the manner in which the news was broken to them has only added to the shock and anger they are feeling.”

The committee of the cabin crew branch of IMPACT will convene meetings to discuss the proposed redundancies, and alternative proposals may be put to the company following those talks.

The union has written to the company’s new chief executive, Christoph Mueller, expressing disappointment with the decision.

The union has accused the company of “walking away from an agreement made in November 2008 which specifically protected the employment of the temporary cabin crew”.

Last month, Aer Lingus reported losses of €93 million for the first half of 2009, almost four times the figure for the sameperiod last year.