Unions, DAA to meet on plan for Shannon

Unions at Shannon airport and Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) management are to meet for talks at the Labour Court this Friday on the authority's €30 million "survival plan" for the airport.

Confirming that the two sides are to meet next Friday, the DAA's director for change John Horgan said yesterday: "I would not expect the talks to last more than one day and the Labour Court would be expected to issue its recommendation in a number of weeks, so I'm hopeful that the workers at Shannon will be able to vote on the deal sometime in April."

He claimed all Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) workers would benefit in the deal where those workers who opted not to take voluntary redundancy and remain with the company would also receive "substantial payments" from the DAA in the "survival plan".

Mr Horgan said yesterday: "I believe the majority of workers will vote in favour of the deal. It is a very attractive offer."

He added: "This has been the most frustrating industrial relations issue that I have ever been involved in. The unions know and we know that most of the workers will vote in favour of the deal and we have had many employees come to us directly to say that they are in favour of the package."

He said the unions had been dragging their feet on the issue since September. "We have had 23 meetings and no talks have taken place on the substantive issue."

Mr Horgan has already said that the workers who decide to remain with the company will receive "substantial lump sum payments" in recognition of the "change element" of the DAA plan for Shannon.

The package gives staff with over 24 years' experience a €100,000 pay-off, while it also entitles workers to their company pensions at 55.

The DAA is seeking to cut its workforce at Shannon by 200 through the voluntary redundancy scheme. "Based on the expressions of interest that we have had, I am completely happy that we will reach our target of voluntary redundancies and will be oversubscribed in one or two areas," he said.

At the talks, the unions are expected to oppose company proposals to outsource a number of sections, including the plan to exit from catering.

In a recent letter to union members, Siptu's national industrial secretary, Mick Halpenny, criticised the outsourcing plan. He wrote: "If allowed to succeed, the result of this would be the displacement of over 200 of the existing workforce and their replacement by staff on inferior pay and conditions.

"We have already advised the company that we will not be party to such an Irish Ferries-type fiasco, and our steadfast opposition to the company's outsourcing/displacement programme should come as no surprise to anyone and we offer no apologies for that."