SIPTU and Aer Lingus begin 'difficult' talks

SIPTU and Aer Lingus are due to begin talks at 3 p.m

SIPTU and Aer Lingus are due to begin talks at 3 p.m. today at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in an effort to avert Friday's planned strike by 3,000 Aer Lingus clerical and operative staff.

Airport strike
Passengers delayed on Friday due to strike action

Both sides admit that given the gap between them it will be 'difficult' to reach an agreement before the midnight deadline on Thursday.

SIPTU are planning a further stoppage on Thursday, April 12th, which is the start of the Easter bank holiday weekend if no breakthrough in the talks is reached.

Aer Lingus is estimated to have lost around £2 million as a result of last Friday's strike and 20,000 passengers were affected by the stoppage, which was the fourth since industrial unrest over pay broke out six months ago.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter