Government & Aer Lingus Betrayal
Unions Must Act! - No cuts in services, jobs or wages!

Socialist Party leaflet

The decision of Aer Lingus management to axe the Shannon to Heathrow routes is a declaration of war on working conditions and jobs.

Like Irish Ferries, it shows what a disaster privatisation is and that bosses are intent on imposing a 'race to the bottom'.

These routes are profitable. If this agenda of greed and maximizing profits is accepted it is clear there will be no end to the attacks on pay, and jobs and the living standards of Aer Lingus will be devastated.

Management's attacks on the planned strike action of pilots, as endangering the company should be dismissed. Management are only concerned about a small number of shares holders and don't give a damn about the workforce, the service or the needs of the wider community.

This is a black and white issue. On the one side you have hundreds of workers and their families in Shannon and Belfast and the whole community in the mid west and on the other you have the greed of the few that can't be satisfied. It is vital that the plans of Aer Lingus management are defeated.

We say: Renationalise Aer Lingus under workers control!

How can the plans be stopped?

The Aer Lingus workers have considerable power. They play a crucial role in a very profitable company. For years the unions have prevented workers from using their power and management have successfully undermined jobs and conditions.

Now Aer Lingus workers have no alternative but to take action. The axing of Shannon and the proposals for Belfast will give management a lever to attack all conditions and jobs. Workers must not accept union inaction or reliance on alliances with local buisinesses.

IMPACT and the pilots association IALPA have called strike action for next week. Now all Aer Lingus workers must insist that all unions take action next Tuesday and Wednesday to demand that all current services at Shannon are maintained and that the expansion into Belfast goes ahead with all workers on the same pay and conditions as current staff. A united approach should be taken with unions in the north.

It will not be possible to defeat management's attack without causing disruption. Unions must not be apologetic about this but should fight to win the support of working class people for this struggle. If public demonstrations were organised to coincide with industrial action next week undoubtedly there would be a big response as there is deep opposition to 'the race to the bottom'.

Given the position of Dermot Mannion and Aer Lingus it is unlikely that action next week alone will be enough to force a change of policy. Workers should be quickly prepared to escalate the action which would also put the government under intense pressure.

Socialist Party says:

* Maintain Aer Lingus's Shannon to Heathrow routes.

* Expand Aer Lingus operations to Belfast and employ staff directly on the same terms, conditions and pay as currently operate in the company

* United strike action next week of all Aer Lingus workers as the start of a campaign of industrial action to halt management's attacks

* End the private ownership of Aer Lingus. Run Aer Lingus on the basis of democratic public ownership, which is the only way to guarantee decent pay and conditions and ensure people get the services they need