Airport strike action averted
By Martina Nee
Industrial action at Galway Airport was averted after management agreed to defer the implementation of reduced working hours until after a Labour Relations Committee (LRC) hearing takes place next week.
Members of SIPTU were to take strike action after midnight last night in response to a recent decision by Galway Airport management to reduce working hours and pay for many of its lowest paid employees without going through the normal industrial relations procedures; working hours were to be reduced from 39 to 20 per week from November 2 and would last for a minimum of one year.
SIPTU had offered to defer taking industrial action in return for a commitment by management to defer the cuts in hours and pay to enable an intervention by the LRC to go ahead. There was also strong pressure from local Labour TD Michael D Higgins who urged management to do everything they could to avoid industrial action.
However, earlier this week SIPTU official Paul Gavin said that management had been less than forthcoming in making the compromise and that this had been compromised by the dismissal of one of the trade union’s shop stewards who had been actively involved in the negotiations.
The threat of industrial action lasted right up until last Tuesday and only abated after SIPTU officials received a letter from Galway Airport management confirming that they will defer from imposing changes to their members’ working conditions in order to facilitate the LRC hearing.
A statement received from Galway Airport had last Tuesday “confirmed with SIPTU that it is prepared to defer the implementation of the short time working proposals to facilitate the LRC on November 6” and that it has “in all of its discussions to date with its staff and union representatives endeavoured to maintain jobs at the airport”.
According to Mr Gavan, SIPTU has “welcome this development, even if it is very late in the day”. He said that the trade union would like to express its appreciation for the intervention of Deputy Higgins “who has played a crucial role in making this possible”.