Aer Lingus Pilots May Still Strike

The Shannon thing rumbles on in a dim and distant fashion as the Atlantic Connectivity/local lobby take aim at a cavalier Noel Dempsey and unsupportive Bertie Ahern. Yet Aer Lingus are still not out of the woods by a long way. Their talks today could end up sending pilots back to the pickets over pay and conditions for new employees in the Belfast Airport hub.

Those terms and conditions are due to be published on the Aer Lingus website either this afternoon or tomorrow. RTE report that Aer Lingus will insist on proceeding with recruitment to the Belfast operation in a meeting with unions, a move that almost surely means unions will have to walk out. Unless Aer Lingus attempt to continue recruitment with some amount of confusion surrounding pay and conditions remaining.

When one recalls that a potential threatened strike cost the airline a couple of million euro, the story is probably far more important to the airline than the symbolic difficulties of an EGM. Yet an EGM will likely bring the two issues back together after there being successfully divorced through the Labour Court process. An EGM to discuss Shannon will, through ESOT as well as other means, give the unions and lobby a chance to tie the issues back together should they so wish. This is perhaps the worst case scenario for Aer Lingus and the government.

Whatever about the positions they have adopted, government, Bertie in particular, have been very effective at ramping down the Shannon issue as a story. When Bertie decided to speak earlier this week it was clearly a signal that he felt it is now a much dimmer story than the one which overtook most of August. Yet the threatened strike at Aer Lingus, reconnected to the Shannon issue from which is sprung will throw the whole issue open again as the Dail nears resumption. It may also force Bertie to in some way address the issue raised about the definition of Ireland.

If the party was marked by a lack of direction first time out, it may well get a chance to recitfy that situation by balancing the demands of Aer Lingus management, local ministers and the interests of a union lobby close to the Taoiseach. It appeared through the Labour court move that the government had managed to split the two issues and take some heat out of the issue. Should talks break down today and Ryanair successfully get an EGM, it would be back towards square one and the attending discomfort for government.