ICTU has said that a decision to privatise a majority stake in Aer Lingus, which is expected to be agreed at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, is a grave mistake from a national point of view.
The Congress of Trades Unions also accused the Government of hypocrisy in refusing to invest in the company.
It pointed out that Irish taxpayers currently invest at least €27m in 10 airlines including Ryanair, British Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa through the National Pension Reserve Fund.
ICTU's Economic Adviser, Paul Sweeney, warned that Aer Lingus will eventually lose its landing slots at Heathrow Airport if the company is privatised.
That would be a backward step for an island economy, he said.
ICTU also said privatisation of the company would be equivalent to setting fire to €100m because that is the discount that will be required to ensure a successful flotation of Aer Lingus on the stock market.
Congress said the privatisation is ideologically driven by the Government, and that the public has been softened up to accept it.
