Talks are to begin today on the Aer Lingus cabin crew dispute at the Labour Relations Commission. This follows the 24-hour stoppage by IMPACT members, which led to the grounding of the Aer Lingus fleet on Tuesday.
Yesterday all services, including baggage handling and catering, operated normally as pay talks began across a series of employee grades.
The next major flashpoint could be a four-hour stoppage planned by SIPTU clerical staff for Friday, October 27th, the start of the bank holiday. This would affect reservations, check-in and boarding staff. It could lead to another grounding of the Aer Lingus fleet. However, talks with clerical staff are due to begin this week and if significant progress is made the action may be called off.
At one stage yesterday it looked as if today's talks between the company and IMPACT at the LRC might not go ahead because line managers had rearranged work rosters for cabin crew. This is normally done only when employees absent themselves from work without explanation. Among those affected were members of the union negotiating team.
IMPACT deputy general secretary Mr Shay Cody said "line managers are exacerbating an already delicate situation by their treatment of staff following the strike". The issue had been resolved only after raising it "at the highest level" with the company.
Aer Lingus director of corporate affairs Mr Dan Loughrey said the company was trying to implement a return to normal working "on the basis of absolute goodwill". He accepted there had been some problems initially but said when the union had submitted a list of eight people for release on union business, this had been done in six cases, including the chairwoman of the IMPACT cabin crew committee, Ms Nora O'Reilly.
One of those not released was in Los Angeles and the other was attending a training course. Mr Loughrey said the union accepted it was not possible to release them.
Meanwhile, talks began with SIPTU baggage handlers yesterday and there was no disruption of services. Caterers are to begin talks later today. SIPTU branch secretary Mr Tony Walsh said the fact that talks with baggage handlers were continuing was "a good sign".