No sooner was the ink dry on the privatisation of Aer Lingus than the inevitable attack on workers’ wages and conditions followed. A process that took over a decade in the case of the transformation of state shipping company B&I into Irish Ferries, took only months in the former national airline.
The Race to the Bottom is well underway and all in the name of competitiveness! Aer Lingus management, despite promising that pay and conditions would not be affected by privatisation, are looking for workers to take a pay cut of 12% through the axing of regular shift and roster premiums, for anti-social hours, Saturday, Sunday working and so on. For this reduction in pay, we are being asked to work longer, with the imposition of a 37.5 hour working week and the cutting of one daily paid 30 minute break. And they want anyone who has earned an entitlement to 24 days’ holidays, and more for service of ten years and upwards to have those holiday entitlements taken back.
Not only that but they want a new lower pay scale for all future staff and to set up foreign bases for the employment of cabin crew at local levels of pay and conditions, which would be outside the jurisdiction of Irish minimum wage and other legislation. What is this but Irish Ferries all over again!
In the darkest of times, after 11 September, and the international aviation crisis, we had a pay freeze, not a pay cut. Now with €1.3 billion in cash reserves and increased profits, they are putting their hands in our pockets. Never have workers been as angry as they are now. Everyone clearly understands that there is now nowhere to hide - if the company do not withdraw from this agenda, then action must be taken to force them back.
As the situation headed for inevitable action, the Labour Court intervened and issued a recommendation, which while rapping the company on the knuckles for breaching the last agreement, effectively gave them a carte blanche to alter our conditions. As we go to press, talks are still continuing to try and get clarity on exactly what changes are being envisaged. But the bottom line is – our hard won pay and conditions are not for sale. If they attempt to take them, they will have a fight on their hands, and the rotten government of Fianna Fail & the PDs that are responsible for the debacle that is the privatised Aer Lingus will pay a heavy price.
