THE threat to baggage handling services at the Republic's three main airports over the Easter bank holiday has been averted, reports Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent. SIPTU is recommending settlement terms to its 120 baggage handlers employed by Servisair, after securing significant pay increases for them.
Servisair provides baggage handling for several major airlines engaged in holiday charter, freight and cross channel flights from Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports.
After 21 hours of talks, which concluded at 6 a.m. yesterday, the union deferred industrial action again to allow members to ballot on the new terms. These will see basic pay rates increased from £4.30p an hour to £4.94p, a reduction in the working week from 40 hours to 39 hours and a career structure for staff with incremental pay rises.