Aer Lingus redundancies 'premature'
A union official has dismissed as "premature" reports that Aer Lingus workers face compulsory redundancies and will receive minimum pay-offs under the company's survival plan.
Over 2000 jobs are under threat and as yet no investor has come forward to take the offer a minority stake in the company. The unions are trying to reassure workers amid reports that a pay-off package for the workers amounts to just between £30m and £40m, the bulk being absorbed by pension reimbursements.
Michael Landers, assistant general secretary of Impact, the union which represents more than 2,500 staff said: "There is still a long road to be travelled before we are looking at compulsory redundancies. We are now negotiating with the company to put alternatives to redundancy in place".
He added around 170 people had shown interest in the scheme which is "a win for management and a win for ourselves".
Transatlantic bookings have slumped 80 percent since the September 11 terrorist attacks in America.
