Aer Lingus was forced to cancel a number of flights today as the dispute over cabin crew rosters escalated.
Around 50 cabin crew were instructed to attend individual meetings with management after refusing to work new rosters introduced yesterday by management without agreement with staff. At least 20 have been removed from the payroll.
This row escalated yesterday when Aer Lingus introduced new cabin crew rosters without union agreement.
Around 50 staff refused to operate them, saying they exceeded existing agreements and an arbitration, and would impose undue hardship. But their union IMPACT says they were prepared to work their agreed conditions of employment - in other words, the old rosters.
Flights were affected, with a flight to Chicago and a flight to New York cancelled, and two others operated with planes hired in from other companies.
Aer Lingus insists it is entitled to introduce the new rosters under the terms of the Greenfield cost reduction plan, which 93% of cabin crew accepted in a ballot. The airlines says every other grade has fully implemented Greenfield reforms.
