Aer Lingus to cut staff pay, working hours to less than half pre-Covid levels

Aer Lingus is to cut the pay and working hours of staff to less than 50 per cent of their pre-coronavirus pandemic levels following the failure of workers to meet the airline's deadline to accept its workplace reform programme.

Management had set a deadline of 6pm on Monday to accept plans for changes to work practices.

Chief executive Sean Doyle told workers in a video message, issued after the 6pm deadline, that because not all unions had accepted the Covid Crisis recovery plan in time, its proposals were off the table.

“Aer Lingus will now proceed with the planned layoffs and further reductions to working hours and pay that were previously communicated,” he said.

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He said changes to work practices would now be implemented and were “absolutely required in the context of the unprecedented crisis that we face”.

Unions had earlier said they needed longer to consider and vote on the plan. Forsa, which represents cabin crew, said it would ballot members this week regardless of the deadline set by management.