Aer Lingus Ordered To Talk To Employees

The Labour Court on Monday ordered Aer Lingus to begin negotiations with its employees regarding their planned cost-cutting plans, rather than imposing them from above without consultation.

Though the Court recognised that serious changes were necessary in labor practices, it also recommended that management compensate any employee who is forced to lose benefits or vacation time.

Aer Lingus Chief Executive Dermot Mannion welcomed the Labour Court's decision in a statement which said that the airline looked forward to "the resolution of all outstanding issues in a timely manner."

The ruling came as a result of Aer Lingus' recent attempt to impose new contracts that included cuts in overtime and holiday pay.

The employees, who claimed that Aer Lingus' management violated agreements with their unions, voted to take strike action, which was postponed pending this hearing.

SIPTU's national industrial secretary Michael Halpenny said the union would give the Labour Court recommendation full considerationtelling reporters that its disputes committee would meet to discuss the ruling.