AER LINGUS MANAGEMENT is to meet with union representatives today over the escalating row between cabin crew workers and the airline.
The meeting is due to take place at 1.30pm today at Dublin Airport.
Last Friday, cabin crew held a one day strike, grounding more than 200 flights and reportedly costing the airline over €10 million.
The disagreement between management and staff centres around rostering, with the IMPACT trade union saying that staff are frustrated with having to work erratic hours that are not conducive to a balance of work and life.
While it was expected that those who took part in the one-day strike would see their wages docked, yesterday Aer Lingus took further measures against staff by stripping cabin crew of flight perks which allowed them avail of discounts for unfilled seats on flights for themselves and family.
Talks
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Michael Landers Assistant General Secretary of IMPACT said that they would not comment on last night’s move by the airline to remove privileges but said that it would be a matter that would be raised at today’s meeting.
Landers said there aim today is to get the changes to the roster that they have been campaigning for - 5 days on and 3 days off – similar to the work pattern of Aer Lingus pilots.
“We will be looking for a firm timetable for changes to be implemented,” said Landers.
Following last Friday’s strike, Landers said that cabin crew were “determined” to follow this through, saying, “staff are simply fed up with the rosters situation and the “company’s failure to sort it out!.
Last week, prior to the strike, the airline’s executive for flight operations Robert Somers said that there would be job losses if the roster change was implemented.
Niall Shanaghan from IMPACT told TheJournal.ie that it was “scaremongering used against their own staff at the eleventh hour” and something they were “accustomed to”.
Landers said “there is no link between what we are looking for and what Aer Lingus say they will be forced to do such as relocating jobs to North America”.
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