This article is from page 2 of the 2013-10-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
FIFTY five years after Aer Lingus first launched its transatlantic service from Shannon, 87 jobs are to be axed at Clare’s international airport. The refusal of cabin staff based in Shanon to fly new transatlantic routes using smaller planes with lower staffing levels has been held up by Aer Lingus management as the reason for the axe falling on the jobs.
The airline wrote to staff explaining that the base is no longer viable after failing to reach agreement with the Impact union, but there will be no reduction to the Shannon schedule or fleet.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Aer Lingus confirmed that it was entering into a 30-day consultation period with union representatives to explore the options which may be available for the affected staff.
The announcement came on the same day that Ryanair announced eight new routes out of Shannon beginning next year that will boost its passenger numbers by 300,000 from its current level of 450,000 to 750,00.
It is understood Aer Lingus staff will be offered the options of redeployment to Dublin or Cork, voluntary severance, or possibly redundancy.
Last July, Aer Lingus announced it was increasing its transatlantic services from Shannon and was leasing planes from ASL Aviation/Air Contractors Limited.
Serving Aer Lingus pilots agreed to fly the new smaller planes, but the cabin crew union Impact said it would not operate the flights with the four-member staff complement sought by the company.
Aer Lingus warned unions in recent weeks that if they did not accept the new staffing levels, they would instruct ACL to recruit the staff themselves and operate the services, which commence in January.
The company had said that if the new staffing levels were accepted, they would create 40 jobs.
Impact has condemned the move and described it as an act of “wanton destruction” on the livelihoods of loyal workers.
The union said its members will fight the decision and said the action of Aer Lingus management was entirely unnecessary.
It said cabin crew are balloting for industrial action, with the ballot due to be completed on October 30. In a memo to staff, Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller said that it was not a commercially viable option to retain a single short-haul crew base in Shannon.