A dispute over pay resulted in strike action by up to 20 baggage-handlers at Dublin Airport yesterday, writes Eithne Donnellan
The decision by CityJet Handling staff to engage in a 24-hour stoppage from 7.30 a.m. was taken late on Tuesday night and took the company by surprise, a company spokesman said.
SIPTU, the union representing striking staff, said the action was taken as a last resort after management failed to discuss a pay claim lodged some months ago.
Mr Dermot O'Loughlin, SIPTU branch secretary, claimed the staff were paid 30 per cent less than other baggage-handlers at the airport. "An average week's pay for a 40-hour week which can involve working weekends and from 3.30 a.m. is €335.73 gross, the equivalent of €7.80 an hour," he said.
CityJet Handling, which was owned by City Jet until it was taken over by a French-owned company Group Crit over a year ago, handles baggage and check-in for a number of airlines including Aer Arann Express, Aer France, Air Wales and British European.
Mr O'Loughlin claimed the strike had resulted in flight delays. However, the company and Aer Rianta denied this. An Aer Rianta spokeswoman said no disruption had been reported at either Dublin or Shannon airports.
A spokesman for CityJet Handling said only a handful of the company's 140 staff were involved in the picketing. He said management had no plans to meet the union as he claimed it only represented a fraction of the staff, something the union disputes.
"The majority of staff have clearly indicated they are happy with the current situation," the company's spokesman said.
He accepted the basic pay was lower than in some other baggage-handling companies but said the overall package was similar to others when conditions were taken into account.