A union representing Aer Rianta workers has accused Transport Minister Seamus Brennan of giving workers 'a slap in the face' in a letter sent to them today.
For the last fortnight, unions have been waiting for a response from the minister to their representations seeking a review of the government decision to break up the company.
In today's letter, the minister states that the government has made its decision on the restructuring and that his department is now charged with implementing that decision as soon as possible.
He rejected the Aer Rianta unions' call for third party intervention, effectively ruling out any third party review of the decision. He believes that both unions and the department are well capable of engaging in a meaningful and businesslike manner on the issues concerned.
He confirms that he had already rejected the option of full or partial privatisation. He added that in any case, such change could not be implemented without legislation.
He states that he sees no way in which the tenure, terms and conditions of employment - including pensions - should be diminished by the restructuring.
He also stated that he was prepared to facilitate worker representation on the new boards.
However, the TEEU accuses the minister of failing to address key areas of concern, partiularly regarding the absence of a business plan justifying the breakup and of pandering to powerful private aviation interests.
Regional Secretary Arthur Hall said that the minister had refused to give any commitments that existing collective bargaining structures would be maintained in the new structures, and had failed to address member's concerns about the ownership of a second terminal at Dublin airport and the Shannon stopover.
Hall said that the decision of former Aer Lingus chief executive Garry McGann to defer his involvement in the Dublin board suggests trade unionists were not the only ones questioning the minister's powers.
