Cabin crew at Aer Lingus have suspended industrial action planned for tomorrow in a dispute over new roster arrangements.
Labour Relations Commission chief executive Kieran Mulvey this evening issued a lengthy arbitration, recommending a revision of existing agreements in order to meet the objective that cabin crew fly an overall 850 hours per year.
The Impact trade union said it would suspend tomorrow's work-to-rule to allow "detailed consideration" of the recommendation.
“Impact acknowledges the detailed work done by the arbitrator in the days and weeks prior to issuing today’s findings.
"The detailed findings, which run to 39 pages and reflect the complex technical issues under consideration, deserves and demands close reading and analysis. Time will also be required for cabin crew staff to read, digest and discuss the document," the union said in a statement.
“It would be unreasonable to press ahead with industrial action while this happens and Impact is, therefore, suspending its planned work-to-rule to allow detailed consideration of the arbitration finding.
“The union notes that the finding recommends a revision of existing agreements – rather than their abandonment – in order to meet the agreed objective of 850 flying hours a year as part of cabin crews’ overall working time."
The union said this issue was at the root of the current dispute, which it claimed was triggered by "management’s imposition of changed rosters without agreement".
It called on Aer Lingus to immediately reverse the "harsh and unnecessary changes imposed, without agreement, on cabin crew in recent weeks".
“The union also notes that the findings acknowledge that “cabin crew have made a major commitment…towards changes in pay and conditions in order to increase [the company’s] efficiency and return it to profitability".
The airline told staff last week that its controversial €97 million cost-saving plan will have to be implemented in full.
In a memo to all employees, chief executive Christoph Mueller and his management team said it was critical for the viability of the business that the plan was fully put in place.
Figures published by Aer Lingus today showed that operating losses fell by 80 per cent in the first six months of 2009. The company said it aims to break even this year.
Pre-tax losses during the first half narrowed to €20.8 million from €81.1 million a year earlier. Operating losses fell to €19 million from €93 million.