The planned strike at Aer Lingus next week has been deferred after a meeting of Aer Lingus union representatives today agreed to suspend the industrial action to allow time to work through proposals made by the National Implementation Body (NIB).
Aer Lingus boss Dermot Mannion, who is to meet with unions today in a bid to avert next week's threatened strike action.
In a statement from Siptu today, union national industrial secretary Michael Halpenny the action has been suspended until Tuesday, December 4th, to allow both sides to engage with the NIB proposals.
"Our objective in this process is to ensure an alternative solution can be explored which does not involve reducing our members' pay and conditions of employment," Mr Halpenny said.
Siptu had sought an all-out strike at the airline on November 20 thand 23 rd.
Aer Lingus issued a brief statement yesterday evening saying it had also agreed to the intensive engagement proposed.
It also apologised to customers for the "uncertainty and inconvenience" recent events have caused.
The NIB also said it wanted to appoint an expert to analyse the dispute who report back to it ahead of the meeting. In the meantime it has offered to meet the parties again to develop a greater understanding of their respective positions.
A statement issued on behalf of the NIB said: "A number of issues have been raised by the parties in their discussions with the Body which it believes should be further explored, especially as regards the practical and procedural implications of proposed new work arrangements and the likely impacts for earnings and cost savings arising from each."
It called on the parties to "desist from taking any actions with might hinder the effectiveness of the above process" including the issue of revised contracts and the taking of industrial action.
