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Cost-cut dispute may ground Aer Lingus FLIGHTS between
Britain and Ireland could face more disruption as Aer Lingus prepares
for a battle with its senior engineers over cost cuts.
It came as the airliner warned that it would unilaterally introduce new
money-saving measures if unions did not agree to the scheme.
But a spokesman for the engineers’ union warned the Aer Lingus plans
would put his members in dispute with the company and could ultimately
shut the airline.
Aer Lingus rejected the claim that action by 180 engineers could ground
the entire airline but admitted there would be disruption if they chose
to walk out.
The clashes with the engineers’ Craft Group of Trade Unions comes
just days after Aer Lingus’ largest trade union SIPTU warned it
would ballot its 1,800 members if the company went ahead with plans which
would see cost cuts across the workforce.
The clash with the crafts union came about after its leaders withdrew
from talks over the cost-cutting plan.
The workers are already angry at a company-wide pay freeze which has been
in place since October.
Aer Lingus warned that if the engineers did not reach agreement on savings
by February 22 it would enforce the scheme immediately.
However a spokesman for the union warned: “If the cost cuts are
introduced like that we will be in dispute with the company and we will
ballot.”
Aer Lingus has been trying to push through a programme that would shave
€20million from its annual costs. |
