Airports to remain open on Friday after strike blocked

The High Court has granted an injunction preventing a four-hour work stoppage by Siptu members at the country's main airports from taking place on Friday.

This afternoon in his judgement, in proceedings brought by the Dublin Airport Authority and Ryanair, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted one injunction preventing the strike from going ahead.

The proposed industrial action, involving four-hour stoppages at Dublin, Cork and Shannon between 5am and 9am on Friday March14th, arises from the long-running dispute over cuts in pension benefits at Aer Lingus and the DAA.

In proceedings against Siptu, Ryanair and the DAA had asked the High Court to grant injunctions, pending the outcome of the full hearing of the dispute, preventing the proposed industrial action going ahead.

They had argued that the strike “is illegal” and is not “a valid trade dispute,” as defined by the 1990 Industrial Relations Act.

Both claimed the stoppage will “cause havoc” and “maximum disruption” to thousands of passengers. The action will effectively close down the airport on one of the busiest weekends of the year, costing “millions of euro,” it was further claimed

The applications were opposed by the trade union.

Siptu argued the stoppage arises out of “a bona fida trade dispute” concerning the pension rights of workers and the the DAA and the Ryanair’s applications for injunctions were misconceived.