AER LINGUS management and SIPTU representatives meet this morning at the Labour Relations Commission in an attempt to resolve the dispute over cabin crew staffing on the Dublin New York route. Last night, both sides agreed to an LRC request to suspend action in order to allow the talks to take place.
The invitation to talks followed intensive informal contacts by the LRC chief executive, Mr Kieran Mulvey, with management and SIPTU yesterday. While the LRC would not have convened talks if it was not satisfied there was a realistic possibility of resolving the dispute, no one was underestimating the difficulties in find a solution acceptable to both sides.
If this intervention fails, a long and damaging industrial dispute seems inevitable.
Welcoming the LRC intervention last night, Mr Jimmy Somers, SIPTU vice president, called on management to show "sensitivity and generosity of spirit" in the talks. He said management should be "acutely aware of the contribution made by cabin crew following the Cahill Plan negotiations in returning the company to profitability".
Huge numbers of jobs had been lost at Aer Lingus, Mr Somers said, and there had been a much heavier workload for those left in the company. "Jobs are at the centre of the current difficulty. We fully support the efforts of the cabin crew to ensure no further Aer Lingus jobs are lost or replaced as part of a deal with another airline. We regard this issue as fundamental."
He accused Aer Lingus management of "badly mishandling the situation", given the commitment and exemplary record of cabin crew staff in the past. "Management cannot on the one hand talk about cabin crew as the best in the world while at the same time openly expending valuable time and resources trying to rubbish the legitimate grievance of their staff. In the end, this issue will only be resolved through discussion and negotiation. The Labour Relations Commission offers this possibility now."
He confirmed the union was withdrawing its work to rule and would be attending this morning's talks.
The local SIPTU official dealing with the dispute, Mr Des Hughes, said the union would be insisting on preserving all Aer Lingus jobs. "I'm calling on management to approach these talks constructively, as they represent she only opportunity for the resolution of this issue at this time," he said.
The corporate affairs director bf Aer Lingus, Mr Dan Loughrey, restricted his comments to welcoming the LRC intervention. He confirmed that the company had agreed to "stand down" protective notices issued to staff last week. This means the notices will remain in suspense for the duration of the talks.
Mr Loughrey said services "operated normally" yesterday. "There were no delays as a result of the work to rule," he added.
The feared delays from aircraft losing their take off "clots" because of cabin crew taking their full rest breaks did not materialise. A difference over staffing levels on a leased British Caledonian aircraft at Dublin was also put down to "confusion" by both sides and it took off as scheduled.
The intervention by the LRC has been welcomed by the Fianna Fail spokesman on labour affairs, Mr Tom Kitt, and the Progressive Democrats' spokesman on transport, Mr Bobby Molloy.
Mr Kitt said that an escalation of the dispute would have "disastrous consequences for Aer Lingus, its workforce and the Irish economy". Mr Molloy said that he hoped both sides would enter the talks "with a view to hammering out a workable compromise".