Aer Lingus staff removed from payroll

SHANNON may have escaped the initial disruption resulting from the Aer Lingus dispute but flights from the Clare airport are now being hit.

A company spokesperson said that last Sunday a flight to Paris and one to Heathrow were both cancelled, as were the return services. On Wednesday morning, the 7.45am service to Heathrow was cancelled, as was a return flight.
Last Thursday, nine cabin crew members were removed from the payroll at Shannon, due to the dispute.
In a statement, the workers’ trade union, Impact, criticised management. “The cabin crew members of Impact were summoned to meetings yesterday, during which a company manager accused them of demanding a 30-minute meal break, contrary to the imposed new flight rosters, which prohibit cabin crew from taking a meal break between flights.
“Many of the cabin crew were able to produce evidence that they had not demanded or taken any such meal break, presented in the form of flight reports, which clearly confirmed that on the days in question no meal break had been taken and flights had not been delayed.
Staff from Aer Lingus’ human resources department refused to acknowledge this evidence.
“When asked to provide details of the source of the allegations made against the cabin crew, management representatives refused to do so.
“Management then proceeded to demand that each of the cabin crew sign a declaration that they would accept the company’s version of the new flight rosters, which are at the heart of the dispute between the union and the company.
“As none of the cabin crew agreed to sign such a declaration, they were then informed that the company was removing them from the payroll pending further investigations that may lead to their dismissal.”
Impact assistant general secretary Andy Pike was angered by management’s move. “What we have witnessed is the most flagrant breach of an employee’s rights that I have seen in over 20 years. The right to fair process is enshrined in the Constitution, every employee is entitled to know what they are accused of and to refute any allegations made against them.
“Any document setting out minimum standards for the treatment of staff makes that clear, yet Aer Lingus have flagrantly breached those provisions and removed staff from the payroll on spurious evidence whilst acting outside their own disciplinary procedure.”
He said that the union wouldn’t give in. “The resolve of our cabin crew members at Shannon will only be strengthened in the face of this kind of intimidation.”
At the time of writing, talks between Impact and the company are continuing at the Labour Relations Commission.
Aer Lingus customers whose flights are being cancelled are to be informed by text and email. The status of flights can also be checked on the airline’s website.