DAA warns of potential legal action against union over threatened strike ballot

The operator of Dublin airport has warned it may take legal action against the Unite trade union over a potential strike.

The operator, DAA, said on Wednesday that it could not countenance what it described as any unlawful industrial action "that would put in jeopardy the operation of Dublin Airport, particularly given its commitment not only to engage in direct discussions but to fully utilise the dispute-resolution procedures in place".

Last Friday both Unite and the Connect trade union said they would ballot craft-worker members at Dublin Airport for strike action.

About a month ago, the operator indicated that it was to move to outsource the provision of frontline maintenance services.

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The company said at the time the move followed the rejection by more than 100 craft workers, represented by Unite and Connect, of proposals for work-practice changes.

Unite said last Friday that its craft-worker members had subsequently agreed in a second ballot to accept a Labour Court recommendation on the issue.

However, Unite said that there had been “a complete U-turn” by management at DAA, which was now not to implement the terms of the Labour Court recommendation including access to options such as voluntary severance.

‘Grave concern’

On Wednesday the airport operator expressed its “grave concern” that Unite should threaten industrial action in breach of the existing dispute-resolution procedures in place at Dublin Airport.

“Given the serious implications of a breach of such undertakings, DAA has advised the trade union that they must assume that when requested to mandate the carrying out of a ballot for industrial action, members of the Unite trade union could not have been advised of their obligations to follow in these dispute resolution procedures.”

The company said it wanted Unite to acknowledge its obligations to use the dispute-resolution process in place, to advise its members of this and to withdraw the threat of a strike ballot.

“DAA awaits an urgent response from Unite and has advised that it must reserve its right to take legal proceedings in the event that they do not respond or do so in a manner that falls short of the trade union’s obligations.”

“As is the case with all correspondence received from an employer, Unite will respond to the communication from the Daa after giving it due consideration,” Unite said on Wednesday.

The airport operator said it welcomed Connect’s intention to engage and seek a satisfactory resolution of the dispute.

However, it said it had “also sought assurances that Connect will adhere to the binding disputes-resolution procedures agreed between both parties and that they will instruct its members in relation to those procedures”.

The airport operator said changes it had sought under its “new ways of working” proposals required workers to work between terminals 1 and 2, to follow the work, agree roster changes, use company email and use basic technology such as handheld devices such as tablets to record work and to clean their own work areas.

Employees in asset management were being asked to use a company-issued mobile phone to take calls, to update works orders through a computerised maintenance management system application on the phone and to have access to safety information and maintenance history of various assets across the airport campus.

It said the airport operator was also seeking to introduce emerging technologies to help bring greater efficiencies to the business as a result of the decimation caused to aviation by Covid-19.