Siptu shop stewards representing workers at Aer Lingus met tonight to decide on a response to a cost-cutting plan due to be implemented next week by management without union agreement.
Aer Lingus last night warned about 1,800 ground operation staff that they would be suspended from the payroll from Monday unless they co-operated "unreservedly" with new work practices.
As part of a €20 million cost-saving initiative, the company is seeking to introduce new rosters with shifts of varying lengths and flexible work practices
In a letter to workers, Aer Lingus management said it would implement the changes unilaterally on Monday if agreement was not reached with Siptu by this weekend.
"It is important that you understand that if you fail to unreservedly engage in your full range of duties as may be instructed and requested, you will be suspended from the payroll," the letter said.
Around 1/3 of Siptu members have already been balloted on strike action - the results will be known on Sunday- and the union's shop stewards will today discuss the response Siptu will have if the airline proceeds on Monday to suspend staff from the payroll.
Following tonight's meeting, Siptu branch organiser Teresa Hannick said that, "If the company goes ahead with its threatened action we will react. The type of reaction and its duration will be decided on Sunday after completion of our ballot. " Ms Hannick said the union was available to attend the Labour Relations Commission but warned that if the dispute went ahead it would be "long and bitter." "It is an awful tragedy that the company is prepared to proceed with a course of action that will do untold damage to the Aer Lingus brand in order to obtain short term gain for a handful of top managers."
Last night, an Aer Lingus spokesman said the company was not prepared to keep on talking after the deadline of Friday, either at local level or through third parties. He said the airline had been through all the industrial relations machinery in the State over the past 14 months.
"The union seemed to think that if we kept on talking we would run out of steam, but we have just run out of patience," he said.