Union representatives of Aer Lingus cabin crew are to ask the Labour Court today to clarify elements of its recommendation concerning their dispute with the company.
If the outcome of today's talks is satisfactory to IMPACT, the union representing 1,000 Aer Lingus cabin crew, the next step would be to put the recommendation to a ballot of members.
The dispute with Aer Lingus centres on the introduction of new working practices including that staff rosters accommodate new, 25-minute aircraft "turnaround times". The Labour Court recommended that fixed turnaround times be implemented, but that a monitoring exercise should be put in place to review the impact of the move after three months.
Issues such as how the monitoring exercise would work, who would carry it out and to whom they would report are likely to be among the matters which the union will want clarified.
IMPACT examined the Labour Court's recommendation over the weekend and called off industrial action due to take place yesterday. However, staff retained their refusal to work on flights that have less than the agreed number of cabin crew, forcing the airline to hire in aircraft and crew on occasions.
The court's proposals centre on the cabin crew workers agreeing to co-operate for a three-month experimental period with procedures allowing for a faster turn-round of Aer Lingus planes at airports as part of the company's plan to transform itself into a low-cost carrier along the lines of its rival Ryanair airline.
Aer Lingus is to consider the recommendation at its board meeting on Thursday.