SIPTU: Aer Lingus 'throwing pennies at us'

A senior SIPTU official has said there is a 50:50 chance next week's two-hour work stoppage at Aer Lingus will be called off.

Representatives of the trade union are holding talks at Dublin Airport aimed at averting the industrial action on Monday.

It is reported the stoppage could cost Aer Lingus up to €2m.

Dermot O'Loughlin has said his members are facing financial ruin due to a €748m deficit in the airline's pension fund

Mr O'Loughlin said: "This is quite serious and we are well aware of the public disconnect that this is creating, but the reality is that these people are facing absolute financial ruin in their retirement.

"We are at a place where the company is massively cash rich and throwing pennies at us.

"We would be asking the public to understand how would they feel if their sons and daughters and mothers and fathers faced financial ruin."