Aer Lingus to proceed with job cuts despite vote to strike

Aer Lingus said yesterday it was proceeding with its plan to cut 1,325 jobs despite an overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action by SIPTU members at the company.

The union described the ballot which saw more than 90 per cent vote in favour of industrial action as a "ringing endorsement" of its position on the airline's three-year business plan, which envisages job cuts in almost all sections of the company.

It has no immediate plans to implement the strike, but says it will take action if the company attempts to force through changes without agreement.

In a statement yesterday, however, the company said implementation of the business plan had already commenced.

"Irrespective of the outcome of the SIPTU ballot, the company will continue to implement the plan which is designed to deliver a sustainable, successful airline in a highly competitive environment," it said.

SIPTU Aer Lingus branch secretary Mr Christy McQuillan said industrial action was the last thing the union had in mind, unless the company made it inevitable.

Workers, he said, had suffered job losses and wage freezes to secure the company's return to profitability. "That investment is not something we're going to jeopardise."

However, if the company attempted to force through its plan "or any feature of it", SIPTU now had a mandate to respond with industrial action, he said.

The airline says its cost-cutting plan is needed to help it open new routes and drive down fares. The plan envisages reduced staff numbers not just in areas such as baggage handling, cargo and catering, but also in ticketing, reservations and among pilots.

SIPTU national industrial secretary Mr Michael Halpenny said no convincing case had been made by the company for the proposed cuts. "It could hardly be otherwise when even the company recognises that this is not a survival situation and where Aer Lingus is expected to make around €100 million profit this year, thanks to the sacrifices of the workforce."

There had already been 3,000 redundancies at the company since 2001 and the workforce was now less than half what it was a decade ago, he said.

"Time and again SIPTU members have shown themselves able and willing to embrace change in order to protect the airline, but we are not in the business of promoting other agendas."

Unions have told the company that they will seek nine weeks pay per year of service in the event of voluntary redundancies. They are also likely to press for pay increases of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent for workers who remain with the airline.