SIPTU - The Union for All Workers - Printer Friendly Style

SIPTU celebrates Aer Lingus birthday with music, dance and a commitment to continue the fight against privatisation.

The march concluded with an impromptu concert on the steps of the head office with songs by Jimmy Kelly and Irish dancers who were children of employees. The marchers carried a mock cake, six foot in diameter to the company’s head office, with one slice of 14.9 per cent for staff and the other 84.5 per cent for the people of Ireland. Aer Lingus Branch Organiser Christy McQuillan said, “This cake ain’t for cutting. We are not going to let the Government carve it up and give it to their friends.”

The union’s National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny said the company had indicated earlier that employees were free to participate in the march but issued instructions at the last minute preventing many from doing so. “He criticised the continued boycott by Fianna Fail’s eleven Northside TDs in Dublin, who “had neither the time nor the courage to meet our members in Aer Lingus. Despite the fine words of Deputy Jim Glennon on RTE yesterday, they are not here today either.

“I want to thank the Labour Party, Sinn Fein, the Socialist Party, the Greens and Independents for their support today. There are also many rank and file people in Fianna Fail opposed to the sale of Aer Lingus and there is hardly a local authority in the country that has not passed motions condemning its privatisation.

“It is a small cabal of people at the top who are interested in benefiting their rich friends rather than listen to the views of their own members.” He said that SIPTU would continue its campaign against the privatisation of Aer Lingus right up to the next election if necessary.