Half-term holidaymakers could see their getaway plans now in tatters after 130 Aer Lingus cabin crew at Manchester Airport voted to walk out at the end of the month in a row over pay. The members of Unite have rejected a pay rise of 9% this year and 3% next year.
Aer Lingus is a major airline operating out of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2, with several flights each day to destinations including Dublin, Boston and Barbados. The Unite union said the Irish flag carrier “is highly profitable and last year recorded an operating profit of €205m, while three top executives, including its chief executive and chief financial officer, earned the bulk of almost €2.8m in core director remuneration paid by Aer Lingus last year.”
Now Unite said, while they recognise the pay offer already “seems like a high number, the reality is that base salaries are so low workers have struggled to afford basics such as housing and bills.”
They add: “Many have also taken on second jobs or worked large amounts of overtime to try and make up for the shortfall in pay, leaving them at risk of stress and burnout.”
After 90 per cent of workers involved in the dispute voted to take industrial action, they will walk out from October 30 to November 2.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is completely unacceptable that hardworking staff at such a profitable airline are unable to afford the basics while senior management are making millions. Unite will not stand for it.
“This dispute will no doubt cause disruption to flights, but the blame lies squarely with Aer Lingus who is putting profits over people.”
Crew based in Manchester have far lower flying allowances than their colleagues based in Dublin. Aer Lingus has offered its Manchester workers an increase of $15 in the US overnight allowance to $130; however, this does not go far enough to address the imbalance.
Unite has claimed that “Aer Lingus has already said it is employing union-busting tactics. It is planning to run flights run by non-Union members to Dublin from Manchester, with long-haul flights then going from the Irish capital.
“This will also cause more disruption for passengers as they will face delays to their destination and changes to flights.”
While Unite regional officer John O’Neill said: “We know anyone who is flying on these dates will be concerned about the impact on their travels, but our members have overwhelmingly voted for strike action as they feel they have had no choice.
“Aer Lingus can afford to come back to the table with a better offer that addresses years of low pay and the fact so many of our members are struggling to afford the basics. Instead of employing union-busting tactics, they should come back to the negotiating table to end this dispute.”
A statement on the Aer Lingus website said: “Aer Lingus notes with disappointment the outcome of the ballot for industrial action by Cabin Crew on its UK transatlantic routes.
“Aer Lingus negotiated in good faith with the Unite trade union, having regard to benchmarked market pay in the UK.
“Aer Lingus and Unite reached an agreement on two separate comprehensive and market-competitive pay deals, which Unite then recommended to its members, the latter being based on a recommendation following a detailed conciliation process at ACAS.
“In this context, it is very disappointing that Unite has served notice of industrial action over the period 30 October through to 02 November, which will be very disruptive to our customers flying between Manchester and each of New York, Orlando and Barbados.
“Aer Lingus will now focus on communicating directly with impacted customers with a view to re-accommodating them where possible and minimising the disruption caused to them.”