Aer Lingus bosses criticise cabin crew

AER Lingus bosses used internal memos to all staff to praise those who have accepted the airline’s cost savings plans – and condemn cabin crew for voting to reject a key area.

The cabin crew members of IMPACT trade union are due to begin industrial action on August 25. From that date, they will revert to old rosters and refuse to obey new elements which they claim the company implemented unilaterally at the end of June. Both sides are due to go to the Labour Relations Commission next week to discuss the impasse.

Senior management at the airline yesterday issued a memo to staff thanking them for their support in implementing the €97 million “Greenfield” cost savings programme which had an impact on working arrangements and staff numbers.

“Since March you have made real sacrifices through pay cuts, increased productivity and many colleagues have left the organisation,” airline management said. “It is therefore very regrettable that one group of staff, IMPACT cabin crew, have taken a decision to vote for strike over the very changes that they and their colleagues signed up to in good faith only a few months ago and which we are already implementing organisation-wide.”

In the letter, the first signature on which is chief executive Christoph Mueller, the airline management questions the cabin crew’s motives for moving towards industrial action.

“Is this a misunderstanding? Hardly,” it says. “We do agree on the necessity to increase flying hours to 850 per year. This will result, in some cases, in only minor changes to a person’s roster. In some other cases the changes to rosters will be significant.

“The rostering quality in Aer Lingus has been poor for a long time. This subject has the highest priority in the weekly executive meeting and has the full attention of the chief operating officer and his operations team. Therefore we find it difficult to comprehend that only a few weeks into this major change process, and even before the end of the consultation process – we have received strike notice. The travelling public and our shareholders are not amused.”

The memo then makes reference to a claim by IMPACT that the airline had its best ever June in terms of passenger numbers.

“A few busy months in the summer do not equate to an easing of the operating environment and a return to pre-recession demand levels,” the airline said. “We are only weeks away from the winter season, traditionally the toughest period for any airline. Aer Lingus is no exception and, as we all know, Irish economic conditions remain precarious.”

“The full implementation of Greenfield in all areas remains critical to the viability of the business,” it said. “This means we all must continue to work to the new model as agreed. It is neither fair nor equitable that any staff group should seek a veto or to opt out. We will be unwavering in completing the full implementation of the Greenfield agreement.”