SIPTU has criticised the Irish Business and Employers Confederation for not playing a more constructive role in trying to resolve the Ryanair dispute. The union's vice-president, Mr Des Geraghty, has warned that there will be no further national agreement if the problem of union recognition is not resolved.
Mr Geraghty said the possibility of relying on a voluntary approach to union recognition had been "seriously undermined" by the attitude of Ryanair and the support it had received from IBEC.
The union would file unfair dismissal cases against the company for five striking baggage-handlers who were sacked. It would consider further action at its national executive meeting next week in support of the remaining baggage-handlers if there was no movement by IBEC and Ryanair to resolve outstanding issues.
Mr Geraghty said the "handful" of baggage-handlers at Ryanair could not be expected "to carry the full weight of the union recognition issue on their backs". Workers had made a massive contribution to our economic success and the current partnership process could underpin that for the future. Workers, however, could not accept that a partnership could continue when one of the partners refused even to recognise their representatives.
It was "high time that IBEC took a more positive role towards assisting in resolving the dispute in question, and more particularly addressing the resolution of the fundamental issue of respect and recognition that must be the hallmarks of partnership, if it is to survive beyond the current agreement".
