THE EMPLOYEE Share Ownership Trust (Esot) at Aer Lingus has not been consulted about a recommendation to appoint businessman Dermot Desmond as the next chairman of the company, the head of the employee group told a representative body of unions. Simon Carswellreports.
Shay Coady, chairman of the Esot, responded to a letter from the Central Representative Council (CRC), which represents nine unions at the airline, earlier this week to say the Esot had not been consulted about the proposal to appoint Mr Desmond.
A subcommittee of the company's board, charged with the task of finding a successor to current chairman John Sharman, is to recommend Mr Desmond be appointed to the position when Mr Sharman's five-year contract expires next year.
It is not clear whether Mr Desmond would accept the position if it was offered. A spokeswoman for Mr Desmond has said he doesn't make comments to the media.
Mr Coady, deputy general secretary of the union Impact, told The Irish Times: "We have not been asked for a view and we have not proffered one."
The Esot owns 14 per cent of the airline, making it the third-largest shareholder after Ryanair, which owns 29.8 per cent, and the Government, which owns 25 per cent.
Myles Worth, secretary of the CRC, said he had written to the Esot on Monday and had tried to canvass the views of all nine unions on whether Mr Desmond should be appointed but had difficulties as many union officials were away on holidays.
He said he was not aware of any other shareholders in the company being contacted about Mr Desmond's appointment.
He said he intended meeting Mr Coady in the coming days to discuss the matter further.
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