CABIN CREW at Aer Lingus are to escalate their industrial action at the airline from today.
The work-to-rule has been under way at the airline for a week as part of a dispute over rosters. Flight services for passengers have not been affected.
The Impact trade union said that from today cabin crew should strictly adhere to existing rules governing reserve duties – in effect periods when staff are “on call”.
The union said cabin crew members had been told to observe the existing rules of reserve duty as stated in their contract, including the limits on normal duty hours – 10 hours during the day and nine hours at night. Impact also said it had instructed cabin crew to observe the minimum rest duty periods. It added that they should not take telephone calls or respond to text messages from Aer Lingus on days off or rest time – on completion of duty.
An Aer Lingus spokesman said last night that the company did not envisage any disruption to services for passengers.
Impact said it did not expect the work to rule would cause disruption or delay to flight services. It said it remained to be seen “what action the company may take in response to the work-to-rule”.
The new instructions to cabin crew are in addition to those which have been in place for the past week. Under the existing work-to-rule, Impact has instructed cabin crew not to work on a rest day and to take full-meal breaks when they are due.
The union said last week it would take “responsive action”, up to and including a strike, if the airline attempted to take action against any member taking part in the industrial action. Earlier this month the airline warned cabin crew they could be removed from the payroll and face possible dismissal if they failed to comply with their rosters.
The company argues the new rosters are an essential part of a binding agreement on an overall €90 million cost-saving plan. Impact says the changes being sought go beyond the scope of the arbitration.