Airline to close Shannon crew base

The risk of industrial unrest at Aer Lingus has increased significantly with news that the airline is to close its Shannon-based cabin crew operation.

Almost 90 crew there must decide whether to agree to be outsourced to Dublin or Cork or take voluntary severance. Otherwise, they face redundancy.

The company has taken the decision after failing to agree with unions on crew numbers for the Boeing 757 aircraft which it is “wet leasing” for its new increased frequency service to the US. When the talks failed, the company decided to use crew from ACL, the company from which it is leasing the aircraft. It was clear at that point that the future for the Shannon-based cabin attendants was in jeopardy.

In a communication to the Shannon crew yesterday, Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller confirmed that from Mar 2014, the Shannon cabin crew operation would cease.

“This is a situation that we never contemplated being in,” he said. “What started out as a great opportunity to protect existing jobs for Aer Lingus crew, to create 40 extra jobs, and to provide promotional opportunity has ended up in making the Shannon cabin crew base unviable.”

Mr Mueller said Aer Lingus was now required under the Protection of Employment Act to enter a 30-day consultation period with union representatives over options for staff, but he confirmed: “This will include transfer to Cork or Dublin, voluntary severance, or unpaid leave for those who secure work with ACL and, if necessary, redundancy.”

Impact trade union which represents the affected staff, was already balloting for industrial action up to strike, not only over the dispute in relation to transatlantic flights, but also other issues including rostering and alleged breaches of agreements. That ballot is due to be completed on Oct 30.

The union said its members in Aer Lingus bases across the country will fight the closure and that there was still time to find a way to resolve outstanding issues and reverse the decision.

The union said what management was doing in Shannon was “an act of wanton destruction upon the livelihoods of workers who are loyal to the company, and a potentially vicious blow to the economy of the Shannon region”.

Impact official Michael Landers said: “This makes no sense, and the decisions made today will wreak local economic destruction for a long time to come. It is a cruel, unnecessary, and vengeful action by management against its own staff, whose loyalty to the airline is a matter of record. That loyalty has, more than once, saved the airline from financial catastrophe and helped it return to profitability.”