Skip to content
2008

SIPTU to seek intervention by ICTU and Government to avert major disruption at Aer Lingus

Date Released: 31 Oct 2008

SIPTU is to seek the intervention of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in the dispute at Aer Lingus where the company is planning to shed the jobs of over 1,300 union members. National Industrial Secretary Gerry McCormack told shop stewards today that the company was “seeking to get rid of people in order to boost profits.

“At talks with the company over the past three weeks management was not prepared to discuss anything except cutting staff costs and staff jobs. Despite repeated attempts by us to raise other issues they failed to discuss their business strategy with us or provide information that would allow for informed discussion on anything other than job cuts and the decimation of pay and conditions for those who survived the axe.

“We will now seek the assistance of ICTU and the Government to find a solution to this problem but it takes two sides to find a solution to this crisis and that means the company will have to abandon its current position and look seriously for more creative options. Meanwhile we will conclude our ballot next week for industrial action.

“We will not activate any mandate unless the company carries out its threat to outsource work unilaterally from December 1. However, I cannot stress strongly enough our opposition to outsourcing jobs and throwing over 1,300 people and their families on the dole. This would have devastating effect on our members and the wider communities in North Dublin, Cork and Shannon.

“If, as in the past, the company attempts to bypass SIPTU and write to members to accept any redundancy package we will be advising them to ignore such correspondence and await full information from our national shop stewards’ committee. ”   





Previous and Next: 2009 | 2007