Shannon Airport management has begun the process of laying off temporary staff just two days after the Dublin Airport Authority withdrew a €36m restructuring deal aimed at significantly reducing costs.
23 temporary catering staff employed in the airport's kitchens, bars and restaurants were sent letters to their homes last night informing them that their contracts will not be renewed from 23 March.
It is likely that the jobs of 90 other temporary staff employed at the airport will now be phased out over the coming months, according to airport sources.
443 permanent and 90 temporary workers are employed at the airport.
A survival plan aimed at cutting costs by €10 million a year, and seeking 200 voluntary redundancies was overwhelmingly rejected by staff who are members of SIPTU and IMPACT.
In the absence of any further talks, the redundancy plan, which had offered staff a €10,000 lump sum and enhanced pensions was withdrawn by the DAA last Monday night.
SIPTU's National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny described the action by Shannon management as 'provocative and grossly unfair to vulnerable contract staff' and said the action should be rescinded.
He said SIPTU had written to the Labour Relations Commission to ask that talks on the matter be reconvened, after Shannon Executive Chairman Pat Shanahan said they were still willing to engage in talks.
