Siptu workers at Aer Lingus have voted in favour of strike if the Government continues with its plan to privatise the airline.

Some 94 per cent of the 2,100 Siptu members working with the company said that they were in favour of industrial action "in the event of Aer Lingus management unilaterally moving on core issues of concern to members such as their terms and conditions of employment, job security and pensions".

The company employs just under 3,500 people.

The union will now seek sanction from its national executive council after which they will serve notice on the airline. A strike will come into affect if the company's management move ahead with privatisation.

The union's national industrial secretary, Michael Halpenny, said that the ballot result was clear evidence of members' concern for job security, pensions and conditions of employment.

"We have attempted to honour our promise to the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, on meaningful engagement with the airline and have detailed the concerns of our members to management," he said.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport will hold its first hearing into the proposed sale next week.

The remaining five craft unions in Aer Lingus, representing more than 200 workers, are to ballot members on the same issue.