Galway Airport workers vote for strike action

galway | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Tuesday October 21, 2008 12:34 by Airport Worker

SIPTU members at Galway Airport have voted decisively for industrial action because of the airport management’s decision to impose cuts to workers's hours rather than work through the normal industrial relations process.

Aer Arann flight ready to leave Galway Airport

Commenting on the outcome of the vote, SIPTU official Paul Gavan said “Management’s decision to impose these changes has left our members with no option but to vote for strike action.

Our members understand the need to formulate a plan to make savings in the airport's expenditure. However a plan that asks only the workers at the coalface to take pain while leaving the terms and conditions of the airport's very large and extensive management team untouched is not a fair plan. Management's failure to engage meaningfully with our members has lead directly to the decision to vote for strike action.

Galway Airport is in annual receipt of substantial state funding. It relies on taxpayers' money to survive, grow and prosper. Taxpayers money should not be spent in order to protect existing terms of employment for management while savage cuts to airport workers are being imposed.

In the absence of a revised plan from management and constructive talks industrial action will commence in the coming days. We expect such action will have a significant impact on the airport as virtually all of the staff excluding management are members of SIPTU.

We will be informing the airport's only customer -- Aer Arann -- of our decision. Action will commence upon completion of the required notice period of 7 days to management which was issued today. Our members are due to meet this coming Thursday to determine the scope, nature and timing of the industrial action."