Aer Lingus vor Restrukturierung / 1300 Stellen vor Abbau

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Aus dem heutigem Irish Independent (S.1):

http://www.independent.ie

 

Aer Lingus unions to fight 1,300 job cut plan

 

UNIONS at Aer Lingus last night warned they will not be "bullied" into accepting 1,300 jobs cuts as part of the airline's radical overhaul.

 

They angrily reacted to proposals, which will be unveiled today, to shed 1,300 jobs - or more than a quarter of the company's workforce.

 

In issuing the eve-of-plan warning, Siptu and Impact accused the airline of seeking redundancies to increase profits at an "already profitable company".

 

They insisted they had "no interest" in "facilitating the enhancement of the wealth of a few individuals" or implementing rationalisation plans to help prepare the company for privatisation.

 

Chief executive Willie Walsh will tell the Aer Lingus board today how the cuts will be implemented.

 

It is expected jobs will go within the next six months.

 

It is also understood Mr Walsh will warn the board the company needs to cut costs by 10pc a year over the next three years.

 

The company, which expects to make profits of ?96m this year, was saved from collapse in 2001 after a radical survival plan was implemented which involved 2,000 redundancies. At the time, the company was said to be losing ?3m a day.

 

If Mr Walsh's current plan is approved, staff at the airline will have been cut from 6,000 in 2001 to just 2,700 by 2007.

 

Last night, Siptu general president Jack O'Connor said the airline must follow "a sensible policy approach".

 

He warned that workers must not allow themselves be "bullied" and said unions would insist on all outstanding working agreements being honoured before "any plans of any kind" are implemented.

 

Weekend reports said that under the plan cabin crew will drop by almost 300, from 1,061 to 770; about 450 jobs are to go from check-in and baggage handling services at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports, and 60 jobs will go in the airline's cargo division.

 

Catering and cleaning services are also likely to be outsourced to the private sector resulting in further job losses.

 

A team of executives, including Mr Walsh, recently proposed a management buyout of the company, and a cabinet sub-committee is currently deciding if plans to take the company private will be approved.

 

The plan will be discussed at the Aer Lingus board meeting today.

 

Workers' union Impact added that the level of job cuts proposed was unnecessary, and that the union would oppose any compulsory redundancies.

 

Paul Melia