01/02/2002

Pilots' strike action looms at Aer Lingus

An independent mediator could be called in to help resolve the current impasse between Aer Lingus pilots and management at the Irish airline after employees voted for industrial action in response to the announcement of compulsory redundancies.

With the prospect of a strike looming closer, moves are being made to re-establish communication between staff and senior officials at the company, which is currently facing severe financial difficulties.

The crisis centres on several issues, including the serving of notices to ten junior pilots, and what their union Impact described as the 'inadequate' redundancy packages on offer to pilots as a whole at Aer Lingus.

In response to a recent ballot which showed 97 per cent of pilots were in favour of industrial action, Impact served strike notice on Thursday January 31, warning that extensive disruption to services would not be averted unless the threat of redundancy was lifted from the ten employees affected.

Officials have so far not responded to the request, and have stated that a strike could prove "catastrophic" for the company.

However, Impact's assistant general secretary, Michael Landers, commented: "Aer Lingus wants the public to think this is about pay or pilots' refusal to change. It is not. The reality is that pilots have so far contributed €9 million [7.1 million] to the airline's recovery by agreeing to forego an independent pay award until the airline is back on its feet." (CL)

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