Aer Lingus to cut pay, hours to 30% of pre-Covid levels

​Aer Lingus is to cut the pay and working hours of staff to 30% of pre-Covid-19 levels and implement layoffs after unions failed to meet the airline's 6pm deadline to accept a new programme of work practice reforms.

In a new video message to staff issued this evening, CEO Sean Doyle said not all unions had accepted the Covid Crisis Recovery Plan document by this evening's 6pm deadline, and as a result the proposals in the document have now lapsed.

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​He said the 6pm deadline was already an extension of a process which it had been agreed should have ended last week.

"Aer Lingus will now proceed with the planned layoffs and further reductions to working hours and pay that were previously communicated," he told staff.

Mr Doyle also said the company will proceed with implementing the work practice and work organisation changes which had previously been communicated to staff, saying all of the changes were "absolutely required in the context of the unprecedented crisis that we face".

Earlier. the cabin crew union Fórsa had said it would take until next Monday to complete a ballot of members.

And this evening, Fórsa said it was pressing ahead with its ballot of cabin crew on the proposals in the Covid Crisis Recovery Plan. 

The union said it was not unreasonable to take a week to carry out a ballot on proposals that would be in place for 18 months.

Earlier, SIPTU had said it could not hold a ballot due to time pressure and public health considerations, but said the proposals were the best possible outcome in the current circumstances. 

Staff had raised concerns about the extent of the work practice reforms demanded.

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