Don’t let management divide and rule
True to form, Aer Lingus management is trying to create divisions between pilots and other Aer Lingus staff.
Myth no.1
The company says pilots have refused to make sacrifices to ensure the company’s survival. They have not:
Pilots have accepted a pay freeze – by agreeing to the postponement of an independent pay review last year, they have already saved the company over €12m over and above the considerable contribution made by other staff.
Pilots have accepted non-payment of PPF.
Pilots have accepted non-payment of increments.
Pilots have accepted cuts in leave.
Pilots have accepted reduced staffing including redundancies.
Pilots have told Aer Lingus they are available for talks on other changes – but the company refuses to talk.
Myth no.2
The company says pilots are jepordising the airline’s future. They are not:
The pilots’ strike was only triggered after pilots were suspended without pay for following a union instruction, which was based on a 99% vote of staff (even senior management get paid during suspension).
Since then, they have refused to discuss the issue with pilots or their union.
The company is threatening a LOCKOUT, which will indeed jepardise the company’s future and everybody’s jobs.
Management seems determined on confrontation instead of negotiation. And if they beat the pilots they will surely go after other staff.
Myth no.3
The company says all proposed changes to pilots’ working practices are necessary to the company’s survival. They are not:
The company is proposing the very minimum terms of employment, including flight rosters based on legal minimum standards alone.
The company have often insisted that changes were necessary and then relented when unions proved them wrong. The U-turn on compulsory redundancy is an example.
Pilots have said they are prepared to talk about necessary changes but not draconian measures that are unacceptable, unsafe and unnecessary to the company’s survival.
Myth no. 4
The company says the Labour Relations Commission report on work practice is binding. It is not:
In the LRC talks, the management and union sides both said the report could not be binding.
The LRC report does not say it is binding.
Aer Lingus have rejected many LRC findings in the past.
Pilots are doing their bit the secure the airline’s future. But like other groups of staff they are not prepared to accept draconian measures that are not needed to secure the ongoing survival and success of Aer Lingus. Neither can we accept the imposition of changes to existing agreements without agreement. No group of airline staff would accept that.
Experience has taught Aer Lingus staff to treat management’s claims with suspicion. If they get away with imposing changed work practices on pilots, they will immediately do the same to you. If they get away with this, nobody’s contracts of employment will be worth the paper they are written on.
Pilots supported other staff groups when they were on dispute last year. We hope you will do the same for us. Don’t let management divide and rule.
