Court to hear bid to prevent strike by air traffic controllers

A legal bid is to be made in the High Court on Friday to prevent a threatened strike by air traffic controllers in Ireland.

Mr Justice Michael White today granted the Irish Aviation Authority liberty to issue proceedings against the trade union Impact seeking interlocutory injunctions restraining industrial action.

Barrister Mark Connaughton SC, who appeared with Tom Mallon, for the Aviation Authority, told the court that industrial action had been threatened by air traffic control members of the union and was scheduled to start on January 8th.

Mr Connaughton said he was not seeking immediate action by the court on the basis that the injunctions would have to be sought on notice to Impact but, because of the urgency, he was seeking a return date for the hearing before the end of this week.

He told Mr Justice White that the authority, under aviation law, had to give at least one week’s notice of industrial action to airlines that may be effected and, while he would prefer to have the hearing on Thursday, it would probably more suitable if Impact was given until Friday.

The judge granted the authority liberty to serve notice of today’s order abridging time for service on Impact by telephone, email and fax.

Although no details of the authority’s claims were opened in court, the judge was told it would be its case that no bona fide trade dispute existed.