CityJet Strike Enters Second Month

by Clare Daly (12/10/02)

THE STRIKE of Cityjet Handling workers is now well into its second month, yet the company has not budged an inch, no talks and no attempt to resolve the dispute - why?

In fact the company has grown through this dispute, winning contracts from Servisair and Aer Lingus. Their goal a year ago was to win 30% of the business at Dublin Airport - now they have it.

When this dispute started, DAWN warned that what was at stake was the future of all our jobs. That Cityjet Handling were coming into the market with their low pay, anti-union stance, to undercut existing companies, competing for new contracts by pricing us out of a job, and dragging existing standards down to a minimum. Since the dispute, Cityjet Handling has won contracts for Futura and Al Italia from Aer Lingus, and Spanair from Servisair.

All the employers benefit from a Cityjet Handling win. They can use that company to keep wages and conditions to a minimum in their own, and deal a blow to the workforce in unionised companies. Despite returning to profitability, the pay freeze and cuts in Aer Lingus will continue. Aviance workers stand to lose €5000 a year in shift payments due to planned roster changes. A reliable aviation expert has confirmed that the loss of business in the unionised companies will result in the loss of 323 jobs.

The rot must stop!

SIPTU is organising ballots for solidarity action, which will take effect from the end of October. We cannot wait that long. How many other contracts will be lost by then? We need to send a clear signal to the employers that anti-union companies will not be tolerated. The companies who are using Cityjet Handling need to be taught that using anti-union cheap labour is more trouble than it's worth.

To that end DAWN is organising a protest this Friday, October 18th, assemble Post 4, 7pm.

You can complain and moan about what the union is not doing and what other companies are not doing, but it's your job. Friday gives you a chance to defend it. It's your choice. Stand up or lie down.

The Dublin Airport Workers Network is an association of shopstewards and workers from all companies and unions in the airport who want to redevelop Dublin Airport as a quality working environment.