Redundancy row as Aer Lingus says new tech devices were interfered with
AER Lingus has claimed new hand-held devices designed to streamline its operations at Dublin Airport have been interfered with as a row over redundancies has erupted.
Last Tuesday, Aer Lingus director of employee relations and change Sean Murphy wrote to Siptu aviation sector organiser Neil McGowan to say “a number of worrying developments have arisen in Dublin ramp operations in recent days”.
“Most notably,” he wrote, “the interference with a significant number of Netline devices.”
Siptu had claimed the airline had threatened at a meeting to make redundant more than 40 so-called red caps, who coordinate and handle individual flights on the airport ramp. The Netline devices increase efficiency, allowing the airline to amalgamate a number of ramp functions.
An Aer Lingus spokeswoman later said it had been in discussions with Siptu since 2016 about introducing modernised work practices.
“There will be no redundancies and no outsourcing as a result of these changes – it is simply a question of moving with the times and introducing industry-standard work-practices at Dublin,” she said.
In his letter, Murphy claimed there was a coordinated refusal by staff to make themselves available for overtime. He said: “These actions have impacted the operation and come on the back of a number of other behavioural issues previously highlighted to Siptu and staff representatives.”
He sought “an urgent meeting of the key principles from both Siptu and Aer Lingus”, to be led by chief operating officer Mike Rutter. McGowan wrote back denying Murphy’s allegations, but agreed to meet Rutter tomorrow.
“There has been no interference with Netline devices. We would advise that the company focus on software issues that have been ongoing for some period of time before making unsubstantiated allegations against our members,” he wrote.
He said Siptu was not aware of any coordinated refusal by staff to refuse overtime, but said he had consistently raised concerns about unfair rostering practices that “greatly affected our members”.
Last week, in an earlier fiery email exchange, McGowan accused the airline of raising the possibility of redundancies and threatened “an appropriate response”.
The airline responded to confirm the Netline plan initially envisaged 43 redundancies but this had been reconsidered and the red-cap role would now be restructured and retained.
“With respect, the only person who referenced redundancies and in particular compulsory redundancies in the room on the day was your good self,” wrote an Aer Lingus IR specialist, who said McGowan’s claim was “completely disingenuous”.
Moments later McGowan responded, denying he had raised the issue of redundancy: “To suggest that I am being disingenuous is something I take great issue with.”