SIPTU has appealed to Ryanair to accept independent arbitration to avert tomorrow's strike over union recognition. However, SIPTU official Mr Paul O'Sullivan has also warned those intending to travel that strike action by baggage handlers will go ahead if the company does not respond to the latest offer.
The prospects for a peaceful resolution of the strike remained bleak yesterday. A spokeswoman for the company confirmed that it had received a letter from Mr O'Sullivan, but said the company will continue its policy of communicating directly with employees on industrial relations matters.
SIPTU represents over 50 ground handling agents. Initially, its members intend striking for three hours on Friday, at a time still to be specified.
The action will escalate if the company continues its policy of non-recognition. Asked what would happen if the company took disciplinary action against the strikers, Mr O'Sullivan would only say that SIPTU "will have an appropriate response".
In the event of the dispute escalating into a full-scale strike, it is likely that SIPTU will apply for an all-out picket from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. As SIPTU represents the vast majority of workers at Dublin Airport, this is likely to be granted.
In a letter yesterday to the chief executive of Ryanair, Mr Michael O'Leary, Mr O'Sullivan accused him of issuing a "misleading and inaccurate" staff notice to employees. He was referring to a notice dated January 5th, which was issued over Mr O'Leary's signature and said that Ryanair ground handling agents were earning up to £2,000 a year more than their equivalents in Aer Lingus.
The notice said employees would continue to enjoy good conditions "for as long as they deal directly with us". Mr O'Sullivan said that Aer Lingus employees earned £2,400 more than their Ryanair equivalents and had extra leave entitlements. "We are confident of the truth and accuracy of our figures and would co-operate fully with a Labour Court or Labour Relations Commission investigation into them, provided Ryanair also participated," he said. If Ryanair was confident of the accuracy of its own figures, it should have no difficulty agreeing.