Thousands of Aer Lingus passengers face disruption to flights today because of protest meetings in Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports by Siptu members.
Seven flights will be directly affected by the action, which will involve workers leaving their posts for meetings at 9.45am and not returning to work until 11am.
Five inbound flights, three to Dublin and one each to Shannon and Cork, will be hit by the action. Passengers will be able to disembark, but their luggage will not be processed until after the protest meetings.
Two flights due to depart Dublin during the protest will be delayed.
Between 1,500 and 2,000 passengers are booked on the flights directly involved, but an Aer Lingus spokeswoman said there would be knock-on disruption to later services. The airline, however, was advising passengers to turn up for flights at normal times, she said. Other airlines' services are not expected to be affected.
Several hundred Siptu members are due to take part in the meetings. The union's membership in Aer Lingus includes baggage handlers, caterers, administrative staff, cleaning staff and some cabin crew.
It decided to go ahead with the action following a meeting yesterday with management, at which the union said it did not receive assurances it was seeking.
The union is opposed to the Government's plan to part-privatise the State airline, and negotiations have been taking place on a range of consequent issues.
Siptu national industrial secretary Michael Halpenny said there was a belief among members that management was "not really serious" about reaching agreement.
He said there were four outstanding issues: job security and numbers, pensions, pay and reward, and workers' shares.
Staff currently own 14.9 per cent of the airline, and unions are seeking measures to ensure that that stake is not diluted in the event of a flotation of the airline.
He said Siptu was anxious to have all outstanding matters dealt with expeditiously, but today's protest was being called to "send a very clear warning" to the company that it could not proceed in the absence of agreement.
Aer Lingus said it would work to minimise disruption as much as possible.
In a statement, the airline said considerable progress had been made to date in talks with all the unions involved, and every effort was being made to bring outstanding issues to a conclusion.
"We remain confident that agreement can and will be reached with all parties to the satisfaction of all our employees."
Aer Lingus flights directly affected by today's Siptu protest. Outbound flights will be delayed, while luggage on inbound flights will not be handled until after 11am.
Affected flights
Outbound flights:
EI 105 - Dublin to New York (JFK): due to depart 10.30am
EI 158 - Dublin to London Heathrow: due to depart 9.50am
Inbound flights:
EI 603 - Amsterdam to Dublin: due to arrive 10.05am
EI 153 - London Heathrow to Dublin: due to arrive 10.20am
EI 108 - New York - Shannon - Dublin: due to arrive Dublin 10.45am
EI 124 - Chicago - Dublin - Shannon: due to arrive Dublin 10am
EI 481 - Amsterdam to Cork: due to arrive 10.40am
