Barring an unlikely compromise, Aer Lingus planes will be grounded tomorrow because of industrial action by cabin crew who are members of the IMPACT union. It goes without saying that this will cause great inconvenience to the 18,000 people who had planned to travel with the airline.
The cancellation of flights - the second in four months - is unacceptable. Businesses, the tourist industry and the travelling public have the right to expect that, whatever the differences between the unions and management, they should not lead to this level of disruption. Unfortunately, such are the differences between the two sides, that further stoppages are not ruled out.
The dispute between the airline and its cabin crew has been under way for some months. It already grounded the fleet for a day last October. In the meantime, the company has acceded to some of the demands of cabin crew, by accepting Labour Court recommendations for improved pay and conditions. However the cabin crew in IMPACT have strongly rejected the Labour Court recommendations and their colleagues in SIPTU look set to do likewise.
There is some merit in the demands from the cabin crew. Pay and conditions at the bottom of the scale are poor and senior crew also have a case for higher pay, given the increases being granted elsewhere in the airline. The issue now is how far the Labour Court package goes towards addressing these matters. Certainly, the company has made significant concessions, but equally the strong rejection from IMPACT cabin crew suggests that further talking is required to sort the issue out.
A few issues seem particularly sensitive. The cabin crew reject the Labour Court proposal that those joining their ranks should work under somewhat different conditions to those of existing members. The rate at which cabin crew move up the pay scale, and are rewarded for longer service, also remain contentious. These are issues which should be resolved through negotiation.
There is merit in the company proposal, made in the Labour Court, to set up a joint working group to revisit some of the more difficult issues - while also granting immediately the pay increases recommended by the Labour Court. The IMPACT union has rejected the time-frame of six months on this proposed review as being unrealistically long.
Implementing the Labour Court package would cost Aer Lingus £5.7 million a year. With this significant amount on offer, the solution to the dispute may now lie in the company giving a little more, in return for measures offering more flexibility or productivity.
This will require give and take on both sides. The company is concerned that further concessions do not produce knock-on demands from other staff. The position of IMPACT and SIPTU, meanwhile, is inevitably affected by the inter-union rivalry at the airport. However, it is now essential that both sides find a way back to the table quickly. A compromise will be reached, but it must not be at the price of yet further disruption to the travelling public in the weeks ahead.