Aviation chiefs hit out at controllers

Aviation chiefs hit out at air traffic controllers today as the threat of further strike action loomed at the country’s main airports.

More than 150 flights were grounded yesterday when Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports shut down for up to four hours.

As union officials met in Roscrea, Co Tipperary to consider more disruption, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) urged controllers to return to normal work.

“It is deplorable that Impact and the controllers are threatening further stoppages,” a spokesman said.

“No business can have its staff dictate what work they will do and will not do, particularly in a safety-critical business such as ours.”

Impact has warned further disruption could follow if the IAA fails to reinstate 14 air traffic controllers suspended for refusing to co-operate with new working arrangements.

But the union insisted it was keen to reach an agreement before resorting to more action.

“Efforts are continuing behind the scenes to get this matter into the Labour Court as a matter of urgency,” a spokesman said.

“We remain hopeful that something is possible and that we can sort it out there.”

The IAA said it had always been available to meet in the Labour Court, adding that any discussion would have to link the issues of pay increases, pension contributions, and work practices.

The authority also claimed it had been made aware of a co-ordinated unofficial work-to-rule campaign designed to slow operations and impede flights.

The strike action caused travel misery for thousands of passengers who faced cancelled flights.

It also prompted business chiefs and politicians to round on the controllers, claiming they were holding the country to ransom and damaging its image overseas.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey have appealed to both sides to resolve their differences and use the Labour Court.

Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary accused the air traffic controllers of blackmailing the state into giving them a pay rise.

The budget airline boss said Mr Dempsey should have ordered the controllers yesterday to return to work or face the sack.

“There is absolutely nothing to do with technology in this,” Mr O’Leary said.

“This is the air traffic controllers and Impact blackmailing the IAA and the travelling public into conceding a 6% pay increase at a time when they are handling 25% fewer flights.”

Mr O’Leary said he backed the IAA’s stance and called for more strikes now than to wait until the busy Easter and summer seasons.

He said Ryanair would pay around 60% of IAA’s airline fees and said the controllers were already well paid and contributed nothing to their pensions.

“I would welcome more strikes, more airport closures now, because we’re better off to lance this boil in the third week of January.

“It’s blackmail by a bunch of people who want a €10,000 pay increase this year, when inflation is minus 5 and when they’re handling 25% fewer flights.”