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Branch News

SR Technics agree to SIPTU proposal to resolve aircraft handlers dispute

Date Released: 02 Jun 2008

SR Technics has agreed to a proposal from SIPTU to refer its dispute with its 21 aircraft handlers to the Labour Court, or some other third party, for binding arbitration. This should allow the company to notify Aer Lingus that it can meet the terms of the ten year maintenance and secure the jobs of 1,200 workers at the plant, many of them SIPTU members.

Branch Organiser Pat Ward said that the handlers had voted overwhelmingly for the proposal at a meeting this morning. “The use of binding arbitration is provided for in the agreement we have with the company”, Mr Ward said. “We suggested this approach when the company first raised the issue of extra productivity for aircraft handlers at our last negotiating session on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

“The handlers are willing to be trained up to undertake the task while awaiting the outcome of the arbitration. I would also like to point out that these men have undertaken additional productivity in the past without any monetary reward. They have had to forego the seven per cent increase due to them under the Sustaining Progress agreement and the last phase of Towards 2016, which was worth another 2.5 per cent, making a cumulative total of ten per cent.

“This latest change was introduced at the last minute in negotiations which had focussed on the craft group of workers and we were given very little time to deal with the issue. Fortunately we have now succeeded in resolving the impasse and helped secure the future viability of the plant and its 1,200 workers, many of whom are also members of SIPTU.”