Aer Lingus crews to stage two one-day strikes

Aer Lingus cabin crew have announced they will stage two one-day strikes this month over their pay dispute with the airline. The strike will take place on Thursday, October 23rd, and Monday, October 27th.

However, Aer Lingus has claimed flights would not be affected and that the airline "would continue to operate and serve its customers in the face of this threat."

The 1000 cabin crew involved, who are represented by IMPACT, say the company has refused to give them a seven per cent pay increase they were due to receive under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) and Sustaining Progress.

They have been staging work-to-rules for the past five weeks as the dispute escalates. They claim they are increasing productivity and routinely working work for eight hours in a fortnight for no pay over and above their contracted 35-hour week.

Aer Lingus management say the crew are paid for all hours worked. They have withdrawn cheap flight concessions for the cabin crew and their families since the work-to-rule began. A number of flights have been delayed and cancelled due to the dispute.

Talks in the Labour Court ended last week without agreement. Both sides say they are available for further discussions.

Aer Lingus said in a statement that the dispute "need not take place".

"All other staff in Aer Lingus have agreed to changes in their working conditions in return for pay increases under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF), Sustaining Progress and in line with Labour Court Recommendations.

"The Labour Court has set out in two recommendations the change required of IMPACT cabin crew members - both of which have been rejected by IMPACT.

"It is now quite clear that IMPACT is satisfied to see all other groups of Aer Lingus employees implement changes that make the airline more efficient while IMPACT cabin crew members refuse to do so," the statement added.

However, IMPACT official Ms Christina Carney said cabin crew had delivered "massive productivity improvements"

"At the same time they have endured a long-standing pay freeze and have agreed to further productivity changes in exchange for pay increases due over a year ago.

"We have shown our loyalty and commitment to Aer Lingus. Along with other Aer Lingus staff, cabin crew have saved the company from bankruptcy. Now that they are preparing to announce record profits, it's time mean-minded management showed the same loyalty and commitment to its staff," she added.