LRC appeals in Aer Lingus row

The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) tonight called on trade union Siptu, Aer Lingus and the Dublin Airport Authority to consider talks to prevent industrial action at the State’s main airports in a row over pensions.

The commission has asked Siptu to withdraw its threat of strike action for Monday, before proposed talks to resolve a pension row could take place on Friday.

The LRC also asked that Aer Lingus would withdraw its threat to sue the unions and that Dublin Airport Authority would withdraw its threat of an injunction, before talks could take place.

A document of some 30 pages with proposals from the Labour Relations Commission was given to the parties tonight.

Siptu said it would consider the proposals at a meeting tomorrow.

Earlier, Siptu spokesman Dermot O'Loughlin said there was "anger and dismay" among members and said the companies had "abandoned their responsibilities to thousands of our members by refusing to put the required extra monies into the scheme."

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar also called on both unions and management to renew their efforts to avoid industrial action.

In a statement the Minister urged all parties to use the State’s dispute resolution machinery to resolve the row.

Siptu will commence a series of rolling two-hour work stoppages at both Aer Lingus and the Dublin Airport Authority from next Monday.

The move could close airports at Dublin, Cork and Shannon which are run by the Dublin Airport Authority.

The Minister said “a renewed focus” was necessary in order to avoid the proposed industrial action on Monday, which would cause huge inconvenience to the travelling public.

The Dublin Airport Authority is to seek a High Court injunction on Friday in a bid to prevent the industrial action.

Separately Aer Lingus has warned it will sue Siptu for damages, which it estimated at more than €2 milllion per day if the industrial action went ahead.