Madam, - While I sympathise with the Air Lingus workers who are earmarked for redundancy, I would hope their union, Siptu, has an innovative way of saving their jobs, or at least most of them.
Air Lingus management must have a "savings" figure in mind, and this will include the write-down of the redundancy packages. Outsourcing work still entails cost, so if the unions were to work out the saving per employee over the typical write-down period of five years, could they not put it to their members that they take a pay reduction of this amount?
This could be made easier if this pay reduction occurred pro-rata on all existing 4,000 employees, including senior management.
They could further sweeten the deal by allowing for natural wastage not to be replaced, thus showing Air Lingus management that their remaining employees will be improving productivity, and ensuring a lower cost base in future.
I think my suggestion bears merit, and should be discussed as a real alternative to the loss of 1,500 jobs. - Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE MOONEY,
Knockfield Manor,
Dublin 16.