Aer Lingus Union Negotiations Called Off

AER Lingus peace talks were called off yesterday.

The discussions, between the airline’s management and union officials over what they claim are less favourable pay and conditions for pilots to be based in Belfast, have been postponed.

It came as Labour leader Eamon Gilmore warned that the Government cannot continue to ignore evidence that the mid-west will suffer enormous damage by the scrapping of the Shannon to Heathrow service.

The unions’ dispute centres on whether the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association and Impact should have a role in negotiating pay and conditions for pilots recruited at the new Belfast base.

A spokesman for Impact said discussions will be rescheduled, possibly for later next week.

Mr Gilmore said the Government, which retains a 25 per cent stake in the airline, must ensure the move by Aer Lingus is reversed.

He added that there was ‘little doubt’ that if the airline had announced the move two weeks before the general election, the Government would have intervened rapidly.

(c) 2007 Daily Mail; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.