A report commissioned on behalf of Aer Lingus unions has warned that the deficit in the airline's pension fund could be hundreds of millions of euro higher than previously thought.
Pensions experts have already put the shortfall at €170 millon but this report by consultants, Buck Heissman, says the deficit could be as high as high as €329 million.
The report is dated 2 August but was not made available to Aer Lingus workers before they voted on the flotation of the airline.
Aer Lingus has said that it cannot comment on a union report which is not in its possession.
SIPTU's National Industrial Secretary Michael Halpenny denied that union members had been shortchanged by their leaders.
He pointed out that the unions had negotiated a €170 million supplementary fund to address the predicted shortfall in the airline’s pension fund.
He also stressed that the pension fund is a defined benefit fund and added that as far as the union is concerned Aer Lingus will be responsible for any future deficit - no matter how large.
