The group of unions representing Aer Rianta staff will meet tomorrow morning to discuss the next stage of their campaign to oppose Government plans to break up the State-owned group.
This is the first meeting since every sector of the company balloted voted in favour of strike action at Dublin, Cork, and Shannon airports.
The ballot by SIPTU, Impact, Mandate and the TEEU unions - which between them represent the majority of the 3,574 Aer Rianta workers - was completed recently. Some 763 of these staff work for the company's hotel group.
No date for strike action by the staff has been set. A spokesman for IMPACT, which was the last union balloted, said industrial action would follow any failure of ongoing talks between the unions and the Minister for Transport.
The unions are seeking acceptable guarantees on the security of staff jobs and conditions. They are also anxious to see the new business plans due from the recently changed managerial boards at the three airports.
The unions are targeting the start of the State's preparations for the European Presidency. Mr Dermot O'Loughlin, of the civil aviation branch of SIPTU, said: "We are focusing on directing our action on the European presidency."
Minister for Transport Mr Brennan is expected to announce the members of a designate management board for Shannon Airport later this week under the chairmanship of local industry leader Mr Patrick Shanahan.
Mr Shanahan was one of three chairmen appointed to the three regional airport boards by the Minister. These boards will replace the existing Aer Rianta management board, at which Mr Shanahan has a seat. He has been joined on the board by Apple Computer managing director Mr Joe Gantly to head Cork.
An Aer Rianta source also told ireland.comrecent media reports claiming that Smurfit boss Mr Gary McGann, who was appointed chairman of what will be the Dublin Airport authority, had refused to sit on the Aer Rianta board were "misleading".
He said Mr McGann was entitled to attend meetings but because there were only two vacancies on the board when the new chairmen were appointed, Mr McGann had opted not to attend meetings until January due to his existing work commitments.
The contract of the current chief executive Mr John Burke expires at the end of December. If his contract is not renewed, that could free up a seat on the board.