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AER LINGUS PASSENGERS could face disruption next month as SIPTU discusses strike action following the breakdown of talks last night about the €748 million deficit in the airline’s pension scheme.
The union which represents Aer Lingus employees is set to meet today to discuss possible strike action which could take place early next month.
Discussions about solutions for filling the hole in the pension scheme between unions and airline management were adjourned indefinitely by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) yesterday.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning SIPTU spokesperson Dermot O’Loughlin said industrial action is now “inevitable” and action by workers is likely to take place in early November.
“One choice [for employees] is to roll over and lose everything they’ve saved or try and see if they can bring this company who has nearly €1 billion in cash reserves to put some realistic funds towards resolving this issue,” he said.
In a statement yesterday Aer Lingus said it was “disappointed at the lack of progress” in the Labour Relation Commission.
“Aer Lingus believes that today’s discussions have been overshadowed and hampered by an interpretation by union groups that a proposal targeting “85 per cent of final incomes” has been agreed with the DAA,” it said.
However the airline said it has been confirmed by the DAA that the proposal under discussion with union groups does not target any such pension coverage level.
Commenting on the possibility of industrial action by workers represented by SIPTU, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus told TheJournal.ie, “We don’t anticipate any disruption to the schedule but if we become aware of a disruption we will be sure to update customers.”
Aer Lingus said it remains available to resume discussions with the union groups “in order to reach a solution and believes that the LRC is the appropriate forum in which to achieve this solution”.
When contacted by TheJournal.ie, Dublin Airport Authority declined to comment on the talks or the possibility of strike action within Aer Lingus.
The DAA is still currently in talks with unions about issues surrounding the pension scheme.
Aer Lingus has previously warned that employees could receive as little as 4 per cent of their expected pension benefits if they did not accept a deal, given the size of the deficit in the pensions scheme.
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I wonder what causes more disruption to air travel, Unions or Terrorists? I’d say Unions!
You’d wonder about SIPTU’s real agenda in all this. That deficit didn’t just happen overnight. It’s as much the workers fault as the company’s. the trustees either put too much trust in fund managers, or took their eye off the ball completely. Personally I think SIPTU are more worried about Croke park than anything else. Using Aer Lingus workers is a smokescreen.
The union guy won’t give up his wages during this dispute! I hope the union looks after these people.
They will, they provide strike pay to their members.
Here we go again! Ryanair will be laughing, counting their profits.
not quite, don’t forget they own just under 30% of Aer Lingus shares as well, strike action won’t do their value much good…
Last time they went on strike Ryanair leased a/c’s and crew to Aer Lingus and Ryanair operated some of their flights, probably just do the same again
The unions have wanted this strike for some time. They get to shut down the country and show how powerful they are. They’re ok with their big wage packets, while they screw the ordinary people of this country. Not nice people!
Hey, idiot, the Union doesn’t decide when people strike, the workers do
Their as bad as the teachers almost for striking
If you become an employee of a semi-state company – as aer lingus was – you are compelled to join their pension scheme. It’s a requirement. If you are required to join the surely the company that insists you Join has an equal responsibility to ensure the fund is properly managed and has a funding plan that is both acceptable and practical? Workers are just fighting for their pension rights.
Spot on Seafra. The comments above blaming “the unions” seem to imply the big boys in Liberty Hall are putting a gun to the heads of their gullible members to force them to strike. It’s the majority of Aer Lingus workers that made the decision and fair play to them for fighting for their pensions.
I reckon the government will introduce a law that will allow companies losing money due to strikes to hire new staff or fire the striking party! they did it in America in the 80s when air traffic controllers striked and shut one half off the country down, the government simply passed a law because because they seen it a potential threat to the economy and fired them all replacing them with the many people that were looking for work at that time.
Please don’t strike I’m flying with them late next month, haven’t had a break in years. I’m living for it :(
For the past 25 years at least it is the same old story with Air Lingus
Yawn yawn
have your say