The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, has told senior TEAM Aer Lingus management that it must consult the workforce more fully on the proposed sale of the company to FLS Aerospace.
She said that management would have to "share everything with workers", otherwise no real and meaningful consultation process could take place.
Ms O'Rourke met both management and unions at her offices in Dublin yesterday. The unions expressed their continuing concern at the lack of information they were being given about the proposed sale of TEAM by Aer Lingus. They also expressed concern at the lack of information given to them about FLS, the Danish conglomerate which is the prospective new owner. The chairman of the union group, Mr Eamon Devoy, is understood to have told the Minister that while the media received detailed documentation on the proposed sale, union officials were given only a verbal briefing "with tacky overheads". He later described the meeting with Ms O'Rourke as "extremely helpful".
"We specifically asked her to speak to the company about creating a proper consultative process. She agreed to that," he said.
A SIPTU official, Mr Tony Walsh, expressed concern that the company had given most of the workforce two weeks leave over the Christmas period. This would make it difficult for unions to consult their members ahead of a union group meeting on January 5th to consider their attitude towards the sale. So far management had "not taken the Minister's remarks about consultation seriously".
Later Ms O'Rourke met senior management, including the chairman of Aer Lingus, Mr Bernie Cahill, its chief executive, Mr Gary McGann, the director of group change and restructuring, Mr John Behan, and the director of corporate affairs, Mr Dan Loughrey.
Ms O'Rourke later described the meeting as "very frank and open. I talked about the fears and concerns of employees and I am satisfied now that there will be a far more realistic view taken of what consultation is".
She said management would have to "share everything with workers, otherwise how can any real and meaningful consultation process begin?" Ms O'Rourke was confident that management would put in place a "far deeper and more comprehensive process than heretofore".
Mr Loughrey said the meeting with the Minister went well. "She outlined her concerns about the consultation process and we reiterated our commitment to it, and to stepping up the process after the Christmas holiday. We assured her we would not be found wanting."
He said the lay-offs over Christmas had been planned for some time because of seasonal fluctuations in trade. About 50 per cent of the workforce were involved. The rest would be working normally.