Talks have resumed at the Labour Relations Commission in a bid to secure the future of 450 jobs at an aircraft engine maintenance firm in West Dublin.
It is feared that workers at Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland (LTAI) could be put on protective notice, unless agreement can be reached on changes to work practices.
The plant is mainly involved in the maintenance of two engines which will soon be phased out. The company's German parent, LHT Group, is hoping to invest $40m in the Dublin plant, to allow it begin maintenance work on a new Airbus engine.
But the investment, and hence the plant's long term viability, is predicated on agreement on changes to the shift premium and to working hours, and so far agreement between unions and management has not been possible.
Talks have been taking place at the Labour Relations Commission for a number of days, in a bid to resolve the differences, and secure the plant's future. Unions claim that late last week, they were warned out of the blue by management that if progress were not made soon, staff would be placed on protective notice.
