Relations between Aer Lingus and cabin crew 'non-existent'

In January 2003, a confidential report has drawn attention to the 'almost non-existent bargaining relationship' between management at the Irish state-owned airline, Aer Lingus, and the trade union representing the vast majority of its cabin crew, IMPACT.

In a special arbitration report on a number of disputed issues (IE0205201N) between the management of Aer Lingus, the Irish state-owned airline, and cabin crew, represented by the Irish Municipal Public and Civil Trade Union (IMPACT), an independent industrial relations consultant, Des Casey, states that he is 'extremely concerned at the almost non-existent bargaining relationship between the parties'. The contents of the confidential report became known in early January 2003.

Aer Lingus, which is expected to be privatised in 2003, returned to profit in 2002 and is expected to announce profits of at least EUR 40 million in the near future (IE0210201N).

Mr Casey, who was examining a number of outstanding rostering issues in the cabin crew section, warned that unless there is 'positive investment' in changing the current negative attitudes and relationships which exist, then the airline is facing potentially serious further industrial unrest among a key group of employees. Finding in favour of IMPACT on two of three issues referred to him, Mr Casey called on both parties to establish a positive and working partnership arrangement.

Mr Casey explained that at the behest of chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), Kieran Mulvey, he had agreed to arbitrate on three specific issues in the company’s successful survival plan, which was agreed in December 2001 (IE0111101F). Throughout the exercise, he said that he felt 'frustrated' at the 'very poor industrial relations climate' that prevailed between the two main parties, despite a specific reference in the LRC proposals to this environment and 'a clear indication that both management and unions should make serious efforts to improving their relationships in this area'.

Mr Casey described the disputed issue of days off on transatlantic flights as 'extremely contentious and acrimonious'. Given the 'tradition' of the current system, which is 'cast in stone', there was a need to explore further the health and safety aspects of this rostering issues, 'which were strongly emphasised by the workers concerned'. Meanwhile, in line with the a previous Labour Court determination, he said that the status quo 'shall continue to prevail until 30 June 2003, following which I will ask the LRC to reconvene both parties'.

In a final comment on the relationships issue, Mr Casey advised that both sides urgently review the situation and establish a positive working partnership arrangement, 'the template for which is clearly identified in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness[Ireland's current national agreement - IE0003149F] and which I emphasised strong to both parties during our deliberations'.