Aer Lingus workers back industrial action
Workers at Aer Lingus voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action today over management plans to slash the workforce by more than a quarter.
Some 90% of SIPTU’s 2,400 members at the State airline called for action to protect jobs and fight proposals to axe staff numbers by more than 1,000.
It is understood a three year management plan outlines cutting 1,325 jobs at the airline across Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports by 2008.
Mick Halpenny, SIPTU National Secretary, said the plan geared the company towards short term profits and not long term success.
“Members have provided SIPTU with a ringing endorsement for the union position on the company’s three-year plan,” Mr Halpenny said.
“The members are clearly saying that there can be no new plan for the future of the company without their involvement and agreement. There have already been 3,000 redundancies since 2001 and the workforce is now less than half it was a decade ago.”
Mr Halpenny said management at the airline had conceded that the company was not in a survival situation.
“Aer Lingus is not just another company,” he said.
“It is the national airline and what is required now is a balanced, measured and inclusive approach to its future and the interests of all the stakeholders, and particularly the workers, who have turned it around from a loss making to a significantly profitable enterprise.”
The proposed job cuts would come from among cabin crew, baggage handlers, check-in staff and the cargo and catering teams.
Union chiefs have called for one of the highest ever pay-offs for workers hit with redundancy – nine weeks pay for every year served at the company.
It has also been reported unions have demanded a pay rise of around 10% for workers who stay on.
The restructuring plan is thought to be the first step on the road to a strategy of low fares and budget travel in direct competition with Ryanair and Easyjet.
Aer Lingus chief executive Willie Walsh, who proposed a management buyout of the State owned airline, has warned the company must cut costs by 10% to tackle the established budget carriers.
But he admitted Aer Lingus looks on target to achieve a 100 million euro profit for 2004.
It is believed the three year rapid expansion plan also includes proposals to open 24 new commercially viable routes to European cities.
