SIPTU has condemned the payment of a bonus of more than €1 million to Aer Lingus Chief Executive Officer, Christoph Mueller, while at the same time the company is refusing to respect the pension entitlements of its workers. The payment of over €1 million in top-ups to Mueller, in addition to a basic salary of nearly €500,000, was revealed in the Aer Lingus annual report published today (Friday, 28th March).Aer Lingus has also announced that it has decided not to pay the full amount of the Employee Gainsharing Incentive Agreement stating that this is partially because “the Labour Court Recommendations regarding the IASS pension schemes have yet to be implemented.”SIPTU Pension Policy Advisor, Dermot O’Loughlin, said: “Our members are outraged that Aer Lingus arrogantly ignores agreements with its employees which have enabled the company to return to profitability. Obviously rules of fair play don’t apply to the Chief Executive as his income has increased by a massive 18% in the last year alone.”He added: “It is also ironic that Aer Lingus has chosen to increase its pension contribution to the Chief Executive from 25% to 40% at a time when it has continually failed to resolve the pension debacle for employees of the company. It would seem to be one rule for the rich and another for the poor at Aer Lingus.”
SIPTU says million-euro bonus for Aer Lingus CEO shows contempt for workers
