THIS MORNING, Aer Lingus management will invoke disciplinary procedures against some cabin crew which could lead to their dismissal. It is a worrying escalation in the struggle between the two sides which could have damaging effects on the airline’s profitability and reputation.
The airline industry, like many others, has gone through profound changes in recent years. Staff numbers have been reduced significantly and invariably the remaining staff are required to do more work for less pay. They are also expected to demonstrate much greater flexibility in regard to work practices. BA has been locked in dispute with its cabin crew for over a year and further strikes are planned.
The dispute involving Aer Lingus cabin crew has been simmering for a long time. The sides spent 15 months in negotiations in efforts to reach agreement on management’s requirement of an increase in cabin crew flying hours to 850 per annum. Agreement was reached on the 850-hour requirement but not, despite much effort, on how the 850-hour arrangement would be implemented in terms of work rosters.
It is these rosters, cabin crew say, which have forced them to institute a work-to-rule. The rosters, they say, can require crew to work for up to 11 hours without a proper meal break or to be away from home for up to 26 days. Such rostering, they point out, is far from family-friendly. Their trade union, Impact, has urged a return to negotiations but the airline has refused.
The dispute is costly. Aer Lingus is hiring alternative aircraft, complete with pilots and cabin crew. Last week the airline admitted to hiring nine fully-staffed jets in one day. Now it declines to say how many aircraft are being hired or to quantify the additional cost. Impact estimates that it is close to €400,000 a day. Even if the cost is somewhat lower, it is simply not sustainable.
The management’s timing in introducing the new rosters was predictable. Once the Christmas holiday rush is concluded, traffic levels fall dramatically and the airline is risking less disruption. However, a total of 175 crew (out of 1,050 based in this State) have been stood down for refusing to operate the new rosters and the figure is climbing. Also, with the commencement of disciplinary measures, there is a possibility that the dispute will widen through other unions entering the fray.
Like most industrial disputes, the rights and wrongs are not clear-cut. The new rosters are not family-friendly but neither are the work practices of many other occupations. The Impact cabin crew are maintaining an impressive solidarity but the crew who are members of Siptu have not objected to the new rosters. Aer Lingus staff, for decades, enjoyed generous salaries, comfortable work practices and enviable travel concessions. Now, they must reconcile themselves to the economics of low-cost airlines and match best international practice to protect their company and their jobs. The management must do its part to end the dispute without further delay. It is time for more talks.