Airport ‘resentment’ as work practice deal hits new turbulence

Siptu writes to DAA over lack of access to staff options, voluntary severance, career breaks and reduced hours working

DAA, previously Dublin Airport Authority, is a commercial semi-state airport company

Fearghal O'Connor

April 11 2021 02:30 AM

A crucial new work practice agreement with landside and terminals staff at Dublin Airport is “unimplementable”, Siptu has told DAA.

The measures were “not feasible nor wise to move forward in the current circumstance and our members will not be cooperating with its implementation while the previously referenced outstanding issues are a matter of dispute,” wrote Siptu aviation organiser Neil McGowan to DAA head of employee relations Brendan O’Hanlon. “As you are aware there is considerable resentment amongst a large proportion of the membership in relation to the lack of access to staff options, VSS [voluntary severance], career breaks and reduced hours working.

“This displeasure is brought about because of the reasonable expectation that was established by management that members would have access to these staff options in the event of a positive vote in favour of the New Ways of Working proposals,” he wrote.

A DAA spokeswoman, when asked to comment, said the company was “extremely disappointed at the position adopted by Siptu and sees this as a very serious development.”

DAA had “honoured the agreement in full and will be seeking an urgent meeting with the union to discuss further”.

Management and Siptu had held discussions around the programme of work practice changes already accepted by most DAA staff in ballots – a central part of its response to the pandemic and the collapse of passenger traffic. CEO Dalton Philips previously said that it was costing €1m a day to keep the airport open and the deal was to ensure the State company’s financial sustainability.

The difficulties with landside and terminals staff are just the latest hurdle for the deal. The Sunday Independent last month reported that the Labour Court had ruled it should begin the process of putting 133 airport workers who had voted against the changes back on full wages.

DAA had promised to raise the wages of staff sections that signed up for the deal from the 60pc they have been on through the pandemic.

Siptu said that despite a negotiation on “an alternative model” to enable access by Dublin Airport staff to options such as VSS and career breaks “the only model seriously considered by the company was a completely unpalatable one to the union”.

Issues of concern included the assignment of staff to certain roles and a difference of interpretation in relation to seniority when staff expressed preferences for the various options available under the deal.

The union said it was available to meet management “to attempt to reach agreement” through the dispute processes agreed under various industrial relations agreements.