TENS OF thousands of passengers intending to travel through Dublin airport next month face the prospect of serious disruption as a result of planned industrial action by staff in a row over pensions.
The trade union Siptu yesterday said the action – including mandatory meetings for staff, overtime bans and a work-to-rule – would take place on a number of days in early July if the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) failed to provide reasonable improvements to the pensions of staff before the end of this month.
Siptu said the staff involved in the action would include personnel who operate passenger security clearing areas as well as those involved in emergency services at Dublin airport.
Siptu is to provide emergency cover for the periods of the industrial action. However, union sources accepted that the action was likely to lead to significant disruption and could even lead to closure of the airport for periods.
The DAA said the threat by Siptu to disrupt operations was completely unwarranted and represented “a deliberate and unreasonable attempt to cause upset and concern to intending passengers as the holiday season enters its busiest period”.
Management sources said that at that stage of the year, more than 90,000 passengers per day could travel through the airport.
Siptu has maintained that the pension fund for DAA staff is underfunded.
It said trustees of the fund had refused to sanction indexation increases recently.
It said the company had offered to invest €30 million into the fund but had sought to link this with the introduction of 27 work practice changes.
Dermot O’Loughlin of Siptu said: “It is three years since this claim was served upon the company and it took until the end of April this year for the company to provide proposals.
“Quite simply, our members felt betrayed and insulted at the terms contained within the DAA’s proposition. It is no surprise that a record number of staff [98 per cent] voted in favour of industrial action.”
In its schedule for industrial action, Siptu said it would convene compulsory information meetings for staff between 5-7am and between 2-4pm on Wednesday, July 2nd.
It also said that between Sunday, July 6th, to Saturday, July 12th, a series of work-to-rules, overtime and extra hours bans would be introduced for staff depending on the operational area involved.
DAA management sources said up to 20,000 passengers could be affected by the action at the peak morning period on Wednesday, July 2nd. The DAA said it was committed to a positive and speedy solution to the pensions issue.
“The company has repeatedly stated that it is prepared to invest up to €30 million to secure an appropriate and equitable solution to those issues and recently invited the Labour Relations Commission to help facilitate an agreed solution,” it said.
“In this context, this evenings threat by Siptu’s civil aviation branch to disrupt operations and thousands of passengers at Dublin airport, within three working days of the commencement of the LRC discussions, is both provocative and unnecessary.”