Cabin crew at Aer Lingus today voted overwhelmingly in favour of supporting industrial action in the dispute over cost-cutting plans at the carrier.
In the ballot of cabin staff, 96 per cent voted in favour of action, with 4 per cent against, and a 67 per cent turnout.
Impact said crew would work within their existing contracts. The union said members were not on strike and would work arrangements that were normal prior to the "imposition by management of unilateral changes to working conditions".
The union said the action would have no impact on flight schedules in and out of Ireland.
In a statement, Aer Lingus welcomed the decision by cabin crew staff to work their contracts, and in particular "the agreed 850 flight hours per year". The company added it was "at a loss" why another ballot was necessary.
The airline said it would continue to be part of the arbitration process but would "continue to gradually phase in the agreed productivity levels so that we can realign the cost base of the company".
The row centres on how a controversial €97-million cost-saving plan across the airline will be implemented for cabin crew.
Under the cost-cutting plan, which cabin crew approved several months ago after initially rejecting it, “flight time” was to be increased to 850 hours per year.
Flight time is the period from when an aircraft begins to move from the terminal to when it comes to a stop after landing. As such, it is only a sub-set of the overall duty hours of cabin crew, which includes time spent checking in, participating in briefings and security arrangements.
The Impact trade union maintained that while it has agreed to increases in flight time, the company had unilaterally increased overall duty hours and changed employment terms. It said the company had increased duty hours by 36 hours per month, taken away meal breaks and reduced rest time.
Sources close to the company have argued the new arrangements form part of changes needed to bring about the increase in flight time.
When the ballot was announced late last month, Impact said that if it was carried the cabin crew would work to the terms of their contract but that there would not be an all-out strike.
Aer Lingus said it “has the means to deal with every outcome” arising from the union decision to ballot cabin crew for industrial action.
It said there would be no disruption to travel plans of passengers arising out of industrial action.
