THOUSANDS OF passengers at the State’s three main airports at Dublin, Cork and Shannon could face major disruption next Thursday after the Siptu branch in Dublin airport served notice of industrial action last night in a row over pay.
The new dispute threatens to overshadow the social partnership talks aimed at reaching agreement on a national economic recovery programme which only got under way yesterday.
The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said last night it had been informed by Siptu that its members at the three airports would stop work between 4am and midday on Thursday, April 2nd.
However, a Siptu spokesman said that while it was seeking to establish the position, no such strike action had been sanctioned by the union leadership.
If the stoppage went ahead, it is expected it would close the three airports for the period.
The DAA said the stated reason for the industrial action was the non-payment of increases due under the national wage agreement negotiated last autumn, as well as certain increments.
The new strike notice served on the DAA is virtually identical to that announced by the union earlier this week for the planned national day of strike organised by the trade union movement for next Monday.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions called off the national day of action after the Taoiseach invited it to take part in new social partnership talks.
The employers’ group Ibec said last night the new threat of strike at the three airports was totally in breach of the decision of the Ictu on Wednesday to call off its day of action and re-enter social partnership talks.
The DAA, which runs Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, said it was “hugely disappointed” at the decision of Siptu to serve notice of industrial action.
“This planned strike is totally unwarranted and will cause needless concern and inconvenience to the travelling public.”
It called on the union to lift the threat of industrial action immediately and enter talks.
“The DAA has written to Siptu’s representatives and indicated that all matters relating to the national wage agreement should be considered within the talks between the social partners on a new national agreement.
“In relation to increments, which are outside the national wage agreement, the DAA has indicated that this issue is best dealt with under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.”
The talks on a new national agreement got under way yesterday with a meeting between unions and Government officials. The Government is scheduled to meet with Ibec and the Construction Industry Federation today.
Meanwhile, a threatened strike at Dublin Bus, which could have caused serious disruption from this weekend, has been averted following the intervention of the Labour Court.
Management at Dublin Bus and the two unions representing drivers, the National Bus and Rail Union and Siptu, have accepted an invitation to attend a Labour Court hearing on Tuesday.