Aer Lingus and DAA strike called off ahead of crunch talks

on 27/09/2012 13:57:13

Work stoppages at the country's main airports have been called off as unions and management enter crunch talks over a pensions row.

Siptu said members have reluctantly deferred notice of industrial action on Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and Aer Lingus.

Talks aimed at resolving the dispute at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) - which began last January - will resume tomorrow.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar had called on all parties to reach agreement before the action grounded operations at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports.

Aer Lingus had threatened to sue Siptu, its officials and members for €2m a day for losses if the rolling work stoppages went ahead, while DAA was due to seek an injunction against the action at the High Court tomorrow.

The dispute centres on the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme, a pension pot which was in deficit by some €700m at the end of 2011.

Siptu argues that DAA and Aer Lingus have failed to put forward any meaningful proposals to resolve the dispute over the underfunded pension schemes.

Other unions involved in the dispute include Impact, Unite, Mandate and the TEEU, but they have not served notice of industrial action.