Aer Rianta workers may take industrial action during Ireland's EU presidency if talks with the Government over the break-up of the company prove unsuccessful, the TEEU warned today.
Announcing the results of a ballot in which members voted 81 per cent in favour of industrial action, regional secretary Mr Arthur Hall warned the Minster for Transport, Mr Brennan, to listen to his members or face potentially embarrassing disruption during the presidency which start on January 1st.
Mr Hall said the vote "reflects the growing anger of our members at Transport Minister Seamus Brennan's apparent inability to listen to anything other than the sound of his own voice".
He said industrial action would be "a weapon of last resort" and that the union wanted to engage in talks in a "positive manner". But he warned Mr Brennan not to "sabotage the current talks as he has sabotaged past talks".
In the even of action being taken, the union would seek to minimise disruption to the public, Mr Hall said.
"We will probably engage in creative initiatives similar to those of CIE workers and, if a satisfactory resolution to the dispute is not possible in the meantime, we will have to look very seriously at our options during the EU presidency," he added.
SIPTU yesterday announced it members at Aer Rianta had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.