STAFF AT the aviation ground handling company Aviance have voted to accept a survival package involving significant reductions in pay in a move aimed at saving about 150 jobs.
The deal will involve pay cuts of 15 per cent for the workers concerned who are based at Dublin airport.
However, under the survival plan, existing working hours, sick pay, holiday pay and pension arrangements will remain in place for staff. The trade union Siptu, which was involved in negotiating the rescue plan with management, said last night that 67 per cent of workers voted to accept the package.
On Tuesday Aviance said it was ceasing operations from March, with the loss of 150 jobs. It said a recent review of its operations revealed that its current cost base could not be sustained under the Dublin business model.
The company said the closure was due, in part, to the economic climate, which had a global impact on the aviation industry.
However, Siptu maintained that "low-pay competitors" at Dublin airport had pushed the company into a position where it was not competitive. It said Aviance was competing with "anti-union operators who constantly seek to drive down wages and employment standards".
Siptu entered talks with the company on a possible survival plan as an alternative to closure.
The union's Dermot O'Loughlin said last night he was delighted the survival package had been accepted.
He said that rather than unions chasing expanded exit packages for staff in companies facing difficulties, in future they might look at modest survival plans as an alternative to redundancies.
Staff at Aviance carry out functions such as check-in of passengers, boarding and baggage handling.