TEAM Aer Lingus shop stewards, representing craftworkers in the company, have withdrawn from talks with management. The decision, taken at a meeting yesterday afternoon, creates new difficulties for Aer Lingus in its efforts to sell its aircraft maintenance subsidiary to the Danish conglomerate FLS.
FLS has the exclusive right to acquire TEAM up until February 26th. Some shop stewards are strongly opposed to the sale, and particularly the surrender by Aer Lingus of its majority shareholding in TEAM. They will welcome any delays that push the due diligence process over the February 26th deadline.
Aer Lingus had not been notified of the shop stewards' decision last night. It was taken at a meeting at which union officials were not present. The formal status of the stewards' decision remains unclear.
Some progress had been reported in talks this week. Unions and management agreed on Tuesday to the appointment of a very experienced facilitator, Mr Gerry Durkan SC, to chair parallel talks on the "Letters of Guarantee" issue and on industrial relations problem.
A spokesman for the stewards said last night that, "until such time as Aer Lingus management recognises the status of their employees presently on secondment to TEAM Aer Lingus, the craft group will not involve itself in any consultative process dealing with outside investment in TEAM". He also said Aer Lingus must honour the commitment in "Letters of Guarantee" to the workforce that it will retain a majority shareholding in TEAM. "Recognition by Aer Lingus that out-people are Aer Lingus employees must be unconditional and must show a willingness to urgently address the many problems that have built up around this issue." He also called on the Minister for the Public Service, Mrs O'Rourke, "to intervene and instruct Aer Lingus management to honour in full all agreements with their staff in TEAM".