SIPTU staff at Dublin Airport Authority are to ballot for industrial action in pursuit of improvements in their pension provisions.
They belong to the Irish Aviation General Employees Superannuation Scheme, which also represents staff from Aer Lingus and SR Technics - formerly team Aer Lingus.
However, a recent review carried out by SIPTU reveals concerns about the financial status of the scheme.
Trustees recently refused to pay indexation increases to pensioners for the first time in the scheme's history.
According to the SIPTU analysis, Aer Lingus has 3,131 active contributing members, 3,050 deferred pensioners, and 3,098 pensioners.
The DAA has 2,538 active contributing members, 317 deferred pensioners, and 975 pensioners.
SRT has 394 active contributing members, 159 deferred pensioners, and 260 pensioners.
The SIPTU review points out while the DAA staff have two contributing members for every one benefactor member, Aer Lingus has one contributing member for every two benefactor members.
When Aer Lingus was privatised, two additional separate pension funds worth €70m and €34m were set up to underwrite the pension entitlements of Aer Lingus staff only.
However, SIPTU has calculated that the €70m fund has already lost over €13m - and is unlikely to pay indexation for Aer Lingus workers.
They are also concerned about the implications for the pension scheme if the Government proceeds with its plan to separate the three DAA airports at Dublin, Cork and Shannon.
It has been reported that DAA management has tabled detailed proposals for further investment of up to €30m in the pension scheme in return for certain cost management and staff flexibility measures.
SIPTU is to ballot members at all three airports over the coming days.
