Talks to resolve the dispute involving Aer Rianta's Airport Police and Fire Service are to resume today. Management sources said last night that a resolution seemed in sight and it hoped there would be no disruption to services this weekend.
APFS personnel, who are members of SIPTU, are planning to begin an overtime ban from 7 a.m. tomorrow. While the action would not close the Republic's airports, it would have a cumulative effect that would eventually disrupt bank holiday services.
The dispute has arisen over the interpretation of what percentage of a new annualised hours pay deal should be taken into account for pension purposes. The new deal is worth about 15 per cent on top of the increases in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Overtime, bonuses and shift rates are to be consolidated into a composite rate.
However, the pensions for APFS personnel are held in the joint Aer Rianta-Aer Lingus pension fund. While this is to be split eventually, to facilitate the ultimate privatisation of both companies, administrative and legal problems have arisen about adjusting the APFS contributions.
Besides agreeing to more flexible duty rosters, APFS personnel have agreed to the splitting of the service into separate dedicated police and fire units.