Chris Dooley,
Industry and Employment
Correspondent
SIPTU is to seek further information today from the Department of Transport before deciding whether to call off a planned two-hour stoppage at Dublin Airport on Thursday.
If the strike, due to begin at 8 a.m., goes ahead, bus services in Dublin also face disruption later on Thursday morning.
Union representatives at Aer Rianta met for almost five hours yesterday to consider a letter by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, aimed at averting the strike.
The stoppage was called to disrupt flights carrying EU justice ministers and officials to a meeting in Dublin on Thursday. It was learned last night, however, that most of those attending plan to arrive tomorrow night.
In the letter to union leaders yesterday, Mr Brennan sought to firm up assurances about the job security and pay and conditions of Aer Rianta staff after the airports company is broken up. He denied he had offered workers "jobs for life", as suggested in some sections of the media, but he repeated there would be no compulsory redundancies.
"I can confirm my willingness to enact in legislation arrangements to ensure that existing Aer Rianta employees will not be brought to lesser terms and conditions of employment than they now enjoy."
One senior trade union source described the letter as conciliatory and said it should be enough to result in Thursday's action being called off.
However, after its meeting, attended by SIPTU president Mr Jack O'Connor, the union said it would seek further clarification from the Department. SIPTU's Dublin Bus branch has called a two-hour meeting on Thursday which may result in disruption of services. But this may be called off if the Aer Rianta stoppage is cancelled.