Union accuses DAA of singling out members for discriminatory treatment

Unite, which represents craft workers at Dublin Airport, this evening (Friday) warned the DAA against any attempt to outsource work in Asset Care.  The warning follows a statement by the DAA this evening in which the company indicates its intention to commence engagement regarding the provision of frontline maintenance services through third party providers, notwithstanding the fact that the Labour Court recommendation to which the company’s statement refers has not been rejected by Unite.

Commenting, Unite Regional Officer Willie Quigley said:

 “In their statement, the DAA refers to a lack of ‘meaningful progress’.  Unite would argue that any lack of progress may have been due to an absence of meaningful engagement on the part of the company.   

“Unite’s ballot on the Labour Court recommendation referenced by the company was inconclusive: Unite did not reject the Labour Court recommendation.  However, it is my belief that our members would vigorously oppose any moves towards outsourcing if the DAA attempts to go down that road. 

“This is just the latest in a series of attacks on our members.  Long before any WRC or Labour Court involvement, the DAA unilaterally reduced our members’ hours and pay to 60 per cent following a vote to reject the company’s proposals, and also excluded our members from the voluntary severance scheme referenced by the company in their statement.  Other grades which has not been faced with proposals were left on 100 per cent hours and pay and were still able to avail of voluntary severance.

“Restoring our members to full hours/pay on August 1^st, as indicated in correspondence received this evening from the DAA, will not in my view win back our members’ confidence and trust.  Morale in their grade has been at rock bottom for some time due to the way they were treated by DAA after democratically rejecting the company’s ‘New Ways of Working’ proposals.  It should be noted that the company’s action against our members was taken before the state’s dispute resolution bodies had not yet been utilised.

 “It appears to our members that the DAA has been using the pandemic as a pretext to single out our members for discriminatory treatment in an attempt to force through outsourcing.

“However, the company should be aware that our members are likely to vigorously oppose any moves towards outsourcing if the DAA attempts to go down that road”, Mr Quigley warned.