AIRPORTS face the threat of shutdown this month as nearly 400 members of the Airport, Police and Fire Service ballot for industrial action this week. The dispute is over the use of private security personnel to carry out functions the service traditionally performs. The union, SIPTU, fears that should the practice expand it will lead to job losses in the APFS, which is already under strength.
APFS members have powers of arrest, detention and search at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports. They investigate all airport accidents and provide firefighting and ambulance services. If they take industrial action it would mean the airports could no longer provide the safety cover required of international airports.
Coming at the peak of the holiday season the dispute would have more impact than the threatened dispute in Aer Lingus over cabin crew staffing levels, which almost ended in a strike last month.
The ballot of APFS personnel takes place against a backdrop of deteriorating industrial relations in Aer Rianta, which runs all three airports. Maintenance staff are also balloting for industrial action and, in another dispute, telecommunications employees are involved in Labour Court hearings over staffing.
The APFS situation was "very serious", SIPTU branch secretary Mr Brendan Cunningham said yesterday. The union was concerned at the number of outside security personnel used and there had already been two breaches of existing procedures at Shannon and Dublin airports. The union wants to stop the practice of employing outside agencies before it got out of hand.
An Aer Rianta spokesman said" that because the issues related to airport security it was not possible to comment, beyond saying that efforts were being made to resolve the row before it resulted in industrial action.
The ballot of APFS personnel should conclude on Sunday and is" expected to result in a mandate for industrial action. But it would be at least another week before such action could be undertaken, if SIPTU is to comply with the 1990 Industrial Relations Act.
SIPTU members are concerned at what they see as the increasing role of Air Defence International in providing security for US air craft. After the Lockerbie bombing, the US Federal Aviation Authority insisted that US aircraft, must comply with new security regulations. As a result, American airlines flying into Ireland sought licences from the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications to employ security personnel on their planes.
Union sources say they have no problem with this but recently extra ADI personnel were deployed to protect US planes delayed at Irish airports and do duties they would normally perform. This was happening at a time when APFS was under strength and management was refusing to fill vacancies.
Further disruption to air travellers is threatened by British Airways pilots, who voted by nine to one last night for strike action over pay. However, British Airways Express flights from Ireland to London Gatwick, operated by CityFlyer Express, will not be affected if the threatened action goes ahead, the company said in a statement last night.