THE FUTURE of up to 1,100 jobs at Aer Lingus are in jeopardy following a decision by cabin crew to reject a controversial €97 million cost-saving programme negotiated between their union Impact and the airline management.
The union said last night the cabin crew had voted against the plan by 64 per cent to 36 per cent on a 100 per cent turnout.
Impact had recommended acceptance of the deal, which was brokered at the Labour Relations Commission before Christmas.
Overall, the company had sought to save €97 million across the various sectors in the airline under the plan which involved about 600 redundancies and 10 per cent pay cuts.
Pilots at the company yesterday voted decisively to accept the cutback programme in their area which involved a 15 per cent reduction in numbers, a 10 per cent pay cut, a freeze on the payment of increments for three years, increases in productivity and reductions in benefits from the pension scheme, as well as increased pilot contributions.
Middle-management grades have also accepted the plan.
Ground staff, craft workers and other employees represented by Siptu and Unite are still balloting on the proposals.
This month Aer Lingus management signalled it was working on a contingency plan involving more than 1,100 compulsory redundancies and a major scaling back of routes if staff rejected the restructuring proposals. However, the airline has not said what it would do in the event of the deal being accepted by some groups and rejected by others.
In a statement last night the airline said: “Aer Lingus will comment on the outcome of the ballots when all the results are known.”