Airport workers back strike over end to cheap flights

Workers at Dublin Airport voted overwhelmingly for strike action today over plans to end their right to cheap stand-by seats on flights.

Around 90% of staff at the four main unions vowed to walk out unless airport bosses guaranteed the future survival of the discount deal.

Leaders at SIPTU, Impact, Mandate and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union claimed the Government and the Dublin Airport Authority had reneged on pay and conditions agreements made under the State Airports Act.

The row centres around moves by the DAA to withdraw the travel discount scheme which gives airport staff reduced price seats on a last minute basis.

The benefit was due to run out at the end of last year but the Department of Transport stepped in to ensure the scheme was extended until March 1.

SIPTU officials claimed the airport bosses continually failed to give any satisfactory reason for ending the scheme.

In one of the highest ever turnouts for a ballot for industrial action 87% of SIPTU members voted in favour of a stoppage. TEEU and Mandate staff voted nine to one for strike action, while around 80% of Impact workers were in favour of the move.

Unions claimed they had been given written commitments from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the then Transport Minister Seamus Brennan that employees transferring to the new Dublin Airport Authority would keep existing entitlements.

Ian McDonnell, TEEU senior shop steward, said ending the benefit was a significant dilution of employees’ pay and conditions.

“The ink is hardly dry on the State Airports Act and it seems the new authority is reneging on those commitments,” Mr McDonnell said.

“Section 12 of the Act makes it quite clear that conditions can only be changed through collective agreement and no such process has taken place.

“Some people may think that the travel discount scheme is simply a perk, but employees have given substantial productivity to the company in the past in return for this concession.

“The flights themselves are only available on a ‘stand-by’ basis, in other words if there is no passenger paying the full commercial fare and wishing to avail of the seat.”

The deal gives Aer Lingus workers priority when room is available on flights. A SIPTU spokesman said it was totally impractical to have empty seats on planes when airport workers could pay cost price on a last minute basis.

The unions are arguing that the travel concession is a condition of employment protected under the State Airports Act.