Well let's see, cabin crew were the only group to vote against the Greenfield plan. We could suppose that it was because of a certain militancy amongst Cabin Crew. More realistically they were probably lead to believe by the union that a better deal could be obtained. The company's reaction was to threaten to fire them all. That was the first miscalculation by the union. There was an immediate volte face and another vote which swung the other way.
Now you could hardly say that plan was embraced wholeheartedly by Cabin Crew or the union could you? Since then they dragged their heels with management still holding out for the mythical better deal. Introducing a work to rule.
Finally management lost patience and imposed the roster. IMPACT's reaction is to mount a rather weak campaign including complaints of sex discrimination, whining about disruption to family life and now asking Aer Lingus to reveal how much hiring aircraft costs. Frankly the appear to have no strategy to deal with the strong response of the company. They don't appear to have an answer. Meanwhile people are taken off the payroll daily and they will be fired once the whole disiplinary process is carried out.
It's not hiring and firing at will. I worked in capitalist non union companies. If you refuse to do the job the company way they suspend you and work their way through the disciplinary process. It's no different in the new Aer Lingus. That's the reality for most of us out here in the new economic reality.
That's what this union appears to have failed to grasp. The old rules don't apply any more. They failed to adapt and now their members are paying the price.