Aerlingus strike?
Feb 10th, 2007, 05:53 AM
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Aerlingus strike?
Just a note to anyone booked on Aerlingus in the next few weeks. The Irish Independant reports today that ground staff are threatening a strike in the near future over a cutback in pay and benifits as the airline goes private. Just a situation to keep your on.
Feb 10th, 2007, 03:09 PM
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FYI -- (from the RTE website )
"Meanwhile, trade unions representing about 200 Aer Lingus ground staff are to ballot members on industrial action in the dispute over the airline's cost-cutting measures.
The Aer Lingus Craft Group of Trade Unions (ALCGTU) said in a statement the airline had refused to withdraw new employment contracts that it believes undermine existing terms and conditions. It gave no date for the ballot.
SIPTU has already balloted its members, and the results should be known on Monday.
Aer Lingus chief Executive Dermot Mannion last night said the company would not be rowing back from its introduction of lower terms and conditions for new recruits from February 1.
ALCGTU said the company had disregarded recommendations by the National Implementation Body that both parties should return to the Labour Relations Commission. "
Doesn't sound like EITHER side is interested in negotiating ...
Bob
"Meanwhile, trade unions representing about 200 Aer Lingus ground staff are to ballot members on industrial action in the dispute over the airline's cost-cutting measures.
The Aer Lingus Craft Group of Trade Unions (ALCGTU) said in a statement the airline had refused to withdraw new employment contracts that it believes undermine existing terms and conditions. It gave no date for the ballot.
SIPTU has already balloted its members, and the results should be known on Monday.
Aer Lingus chief Executive Dermot Mannion last night said the company would not be rowing back from its introduction of lower terms and conditions for new recruits from February 1.
ALCGTU said the company had disregarded recommendations by the National Implementation Body that both parties should return to the Labour Relations Commission. "
Doesn't sound like EITHER side is interested in negotiating ...
Bob
Feb 11th, 2007, 07:47 AM
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Having being caught up in one of these "strikes" in Ireland, let state a few things. British Airlines a few weeks ago expected one of these strikes, canceled all flights, and then the strike was called off. In Ireland, when one working group calls a strike ALL the other groups follow! This makes for some anxious times in Ireland when this kind of thing is talked about. However, airport groups in have called strikes without much, or little notice.
About all you can do is grit your teeth, and hope you get through. Aer Lingus let me down once. I said I would not ride them again, but my tickets for April were cheap from LAX, non-stop, and very convenient. Unless I'm delayed again. Humbug!
About all you can do is grit your teeth, and hope you get through. Aer Lingus let me down once. I said I would not ride them again, but my tickets for April were cheap from LAX, non-stop, and very convenient. Unless I'm delayed again. Humbug!
Feb 11th, 2007, 12:21 PM
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"Doesn't sound like EITHER side is interested in negotiating ..."
Cobblers.
Sounds like both sides are doing what industrial negotiators do in the real world: talk loud and carry a big stick.
Who'd like to offer me odds against this fizzling out?
Clue: I'd put my money on an English trained horse winning the Gold Cup before I'd put money on this turning into a strike.
Cobblers.
Sounds like both sides are doing what industrial negotiators do in the real world: talk loud and carry a big stick.
Who'd like to offer me odds against this fizzling out?
Clue: I'd put my money on an English trained horse winning the Gold Cup before I'd put money on this turning into a strike.
Feb 11th, 2007, 12:40 PM
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Firstly, among a number of other things, I once WAS a Union Negotiator, so YES, it is VERY possible tht this MIGHT escalate. The good news so far, is that management hasn't tinged their comments with the ominous "Those ungrateful wretches in the Unions are trying to sabotage our company' BLAME GAME finger pointing phrases that imply that there is NO negotiating room, BUT ....
Anecdotal aside: In April of 2001, my wife and I flew Delta from Florida to Boston and connected to an Aer Lingus flight into Shannon. As temps in Fl were in the low 90'sF (that's about 30 C for you local folks), we packed our heavy coats (being from FL and all)in our checked bags. Delta failed to get them transfered to AL in Boston on time(their fault)so we landed in Shannon without. Once we determined what had happened the AL people advised us that they would deliver our bags to us THREE DAYS LATER -- why?
Because they had scheduled an AL strike, don't you know, so even though the baggage COULD get to Shannon the very next day, no one would touch it until after the strike was over.
And no, AL never mentioned ANYTHING to us about the impending strike.
Bob
Anecdotal aside: In April of 2001, my wife and I flew Delta from Florida to Boston and connected to an Aer Lingus flight into Shannon. As temps in Fl were in the low 90'sF (that's about 30 C for you local folks), we packed our heavy coats (being from FL and all)in our checked bags. Delta failed to get them transfered to AL in Boston on time(their fault)so we landed in Shannon without. Once we determined what had happened the AL people advised us that they would deliver our bags to us THREE DAYS LATER -- why?
Because they had scheduled an AL strike, don't you know, so even though the baggage COULD get to Shannon the very next day, no one would touch it until after the strike was over.
And no, AL never mentioned ANYTHING to us about the impending strike.
Bob
Feb 11th, 2007, 01:40 PM
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Bob, let's look at this.
You had booked with Aer Lingus to travel on a particular date, and when you turned up, they carried you. Why should they have told you about an impending strike that did not affect your date of travel?
The fact that your baggage did not make it on to the plane was not, as you acknowledge, the fault of Aer Lingus.
Should they have written to you in advance along the lines of "if a baggage transfer from another carrier fails to make your flight, be warned that there might be a delay of 2-3 days"?
You had booked with Aer Lingus to travel on a particular date, and when you turned up, they carried you. Why should they have told you about an impending strike that did not affect your date of travel?
The fact that your baggage did not make it on to the plane was not, as you acknowledge, the fault of Aer Lingus.
Should they have written to you in advance along the lines of "if a baggage transfer from another carrier fails to make your flight, be warned that there might be a delay of 2-3 days"?
Feb 11th, 2007, 02:34 PM
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Padraig:
Understand that I am NOT 'blaming Aer Lingus. Delta actually accepted responsibility and actually gave us a couple hundred dollars worth of travel vouchers as recompense. The story was actually more about the folly of assuming that our luggage would make it to our destination if we did.
But, I DO feel strongly that paying customers DESERVE to be informed if there are labor problems looming, PARTICULARLY when there IS a strike scheduled. I realize Irish Labor practices are uniquely Irish, but here in the USA, it is not unheard of for what we call 'Job Actions' to escalate into prolonged affairs.
As a case in point, I was one of those unfortunates that Eastern stranded back in Feb of 1989. There WAS some noise made in the papers about a POSSIBLE strike, but I confess that I didn't pay much heed at the time, and I suppose that's my bad. I DO know that no one from Eastern ever mentioned it AT ALL.
It ended up taking me three extra days to get back home to Florida, after burying my mother.
Bob
Understand that I am NOT 'blaming Aer Lingus. Delta actually accepted responsibility and actually gave us a couple hundred dollars worth of travel vouchers as recompense. The story was actually more about the folly of assuming that our luggage would make it to our destination if we did.
But, I DO feel strongly that paying customers DESERVE to be informed if there are labor problems looming, PARTICULARLY when there IS a strike scheduled. I realize Irish Labor practices are uniquely Irish, but here in the USA, it is not unheard of for what we call 'Job Actions' to escalate into prolonged affairs.
As a case in point, I was one of those unfortunates that Eastern stranded back in Feb of 1989. There WAS some noise made in the papers about a POSSIBLE strike, but I confess that I didn't pay much heed at the time, and I suppose that's my bad. I DO know that no one from Eastern ever mentioned it AT ALL.
It ended up taking me three extra days to get back home to Florida, after burying my mother.
Bob
Feb 12th, 2007, 11:42 AM
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In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that last bit -- though it does underscore my underlying issues on this topic ...
So, apologies, all.
This just in:
Aer Lingus workers vote for industrial action
Monday, 12 February 2007 19:57
Workers at Aer Lingus have voted in favour of industrial action in a row over cost-cutting measures at the airline.
A 96% majority of SIPTU members voted in favour of the action, which could begin by the end of the month if the row is unresolved.
The union's National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny said: 'This shows a very clear determination on the part of union members to defend their agreements and to defend themselves against unilateral attacks by the Aer Lingus management on agreed pay and conditions.'
The union has said it will not enter talks at the Labour Relations Commission until the company suspends its cost-cutting measures, which have already been introduced for new staff.
The union says the company is in breach of existing agreements to negotiate for change and that the matter should be referred straight to the Labour Court.
The company says its staff costs must be reduced it the airline is to stay competitive.
Mr Halpenny said: 'Our members are left with no option but to take the course that they have. This is a totally avoidable dispute.'
The IMPACT trade union is also expected to ballot for industrial action.
Audio & Video
Six One News: Vivienne Traynor, Industry and Employment Reporter, reports that SIPTU workers have voted in favour of industrial action
Story from RTÉ News:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0212/aerlingus1.html
Bob
So, apologies, all.
This just in:
Aer Lingus workers vote for industrial action
Monday, 12 February 2007 19:57
Workers at Aer Lingus have voted in favour of industrial action in a row over cost-cutting measures at the airline.
A 96% majority of SIPTU members voted in favour of the action, which could begin by the end of the month if the row is unresolved.
The union's National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny said: 'This shows a very clear determination on the part of union members to defend their agreements and to defend themselves against unilateral attacks by the Aer Lingus management on agreed pay and conditions.'
The union has said it will not enter talks at the Labour Relations Commission until the company suspends its cost-cutting measures, which have already been introduced for new staff.
The union says the company is in breach of existing agreements to negotiate for change and that the matter should be referred straight to the Labour Court.
The company says its staff costs must be reduced it the airline is to stay competitive.
Mr Halpenny said: 'Our members are left with no option but to take the course that they have. This is a totally avoidable dispute.'
The IMPACT trade union is also expected to ballot for industrial action.
Audio & Video
Six One News: Vivienne Traynor, Industry and Employment Reporter, reports that SIPTU workers have voted in favour of industrial action
Story from RTÉ News:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0212/aerlingus1.html
Bob
Feb 16th, 2007, 05:23 AM
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I'm booked to fly to Ireland, via Heathrow, on March 9. Our flight from Heathrow to Dublin is on Aer Lingus. Is there anything I should do at this point in terms of contacting the airline? Or is this likely to be resolved by then, in your opinions?
Feb 16th, 2007, 05:41 AM
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No dates have been fixed for anything, so asking Aer Lingus is unlikely to elicit any useful information.
Both sides are playing hardball, so I think it is becoming a real issue. It's beginning to get dirty and it looks to me as if the airline is playing dirtier than the unions.
I wonder how much the large Ryanair stake in Aer Lingus has to do with the confrontational attutude being adopted by them.
Personally, I would not worry about a date as early as 9 March. I think both sides will take more time for beating their wardrums (I have been wrong about things before!).
Interesting sidenote: Aer Lingus have just launched one of their periodic seat sales, and people are snapping up their bargain seats. We Irish are not great worriers.
Both sides are playing hardball, so I think it is becoming a real issue. It's beginning to get dirty and it looks to me as if the airline is playing dirtier than the unions.
I wonder how much the large Ryanair stake in Aer Lingus has to do with the confrontational attutude being adopted by them.
Personally, I would not worry about a date as early as 9 March. I think both sides will take more time for beating their wardrums (I have been wrong about things before!).
Interesting sidenote: Aer Lingus have just launched one of their periodic seat sales, and people are snapping up their bargain seats. We Irish are not great worriers.
Feb 21st, 2007, 01:48 AM
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The story has slipped out of the headlines. The issue (change of employment conditions) is still there, and the main union has a vote for strike in its pocket that it can invoke if it wishes.
I think the unions really do not want a strike. The fact that things have gone quiet is probably a good sign, as I suspect that things are happening in the background.
I think the unions really do not want a strike. The fact that things have gone quiet is probably a good sign, as I suspect that things are happening in the background.
Feb 21st, 2007, 02:21 AM
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Will you all STOP whining about a POSSIBLE strike action and get on with your lives.
Strikes do not happen very often in Ireland. Look at France where they go on stike at the drop of a hat.
Usually strikes are not "all out" so even if there is a strike it would probably result in delays rather than cancellations.
Strikes do not happen very often in Ireland. Look at France where they go on stike at the drop of a hat.
Usually strikes are not "all out" so even if there is a strike it would probably result in delays rather than cancellations.
Feb 21st, 2007, 02:40 AM
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lawchick, I think you should show a little more understanding of other people's perspectives.
We Irish are not great worriers. In the US, the idea of not being a worrier belongs in the world of Alfred E.Neumann.
We Irish are not great worriers. In the US, the idea of not being a worrier belongs in the world of Alfred E.Neumann.
Feb 21st, 2007, 03:04 AM
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Yes but Padraig/Lawchick:
Presumably Ireland has laws - or at any rate working practices - about how much notice is given of a strike. And little history of wildcat ones anyway.
So aren't there things that can be said to even the most obsessive "someone, somewhere must know" fantasist? Like there won't be a strike before such and such a date?
Presumably Ireland has laws - or at any rate working practices - about how much notice is given of a strike. And little history of wildcat ones anyway.
So aren't there things that can be said to even the most obsessive "someone, somewhere must know" fantasist? Like there won't be a strike before such and such a date?
