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GARDA SUPERINTENDENT NOEL Cunningham has said the latest report into the breath test scandal revealing that there may be another 400,000 falsified tests “could be described as a guesstimate”.
President of the Association of Garda Superintendents Noel Cunningham’s comments come after the Policing Authority published a report, carried out by consultancy firm Crowe Howarth, into the breath test scandal which revealed that there may be another 400,000 falsified breath tests.
The report, which was published yesterday, looks at both the breath test and the fixed charge notice/summons scandals. It also detailed how and why checkpoints were faked.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Cunningham was adamant that the latest report might not be accurate.
“They looked at a longer period, they went back then to when the breath tests started, so that influenced that number. I saw in the report in relation to the additional 400,000 and I think at best it could be described as a guesstimate… and it should be read like that,” Cunningham said.
He went on to deny that there was implicit pressure put on gardaí to perform checkpoints and inflate numbers, despite contrasting findings in the report.
“I don’t accept that, I accept that there was implicit pressure on members of the Garda Síochana to perform the checkpoints, because we have to look at what our function here was, our function was as we said back in May, to reduce drink driving and certainly there was implicit pressure to make sure that checkpoints were done,” he said.
I know it was said that it was in some policing plans to increase the number of actual breath tests but it certainly wasn’t one that I was familiar with, I’m sure it exists because Crowe Howarth have found it.
In its assessment, the Policing Authority says:
We believe that there was significant pressure within the organisation to be seen to deliver against targets that were set – whether at divisional level within the annual policing plan, or for a patrol setting out for its tour of duty with an expectation that it would undertake the three MIT checkpoints that it had been authorised to conduct, or at some other level within the organisation…
The report found that many members of the force “indicated that the number of checkpoints scheduled during a tour of duty (10-hour patrol shift) could be up to three or four, regardless of the time of day”. However, not all of these checkpoints took place.
A number of garda members in a busy urban station told the authority that they “were frequently under significant pressure when on patrol, and at any given time might have six or seven backed up calls awaiting their response”.
They said they simply couldn’t manage to perform all of the checkpoints authorised, due to this pressure.
They had developed a “habit” of “entering erroneous data onto Pulse”, says the report, entering false data in respect of checkpoints not operated.
While garda health and safety requirements said a minimum of two members should be present at a checkpoint, in some rural areas up to 80% of patrols were undertaken by a single member. Some gardaí said that management would frequently schedule checkpoints knowing they could never be carried out.
Implications
In response to O’Rourke’s questions about what should happen to those, if identified, who had claimed to set up checkpoints that did not happen, Cunningham said that while they should be dealt with, he wasn’t sure what value it would add given that it would be an expensive process.
“If we’re going down the road of dealing with this then right across the board that is going to be a very long term, it’s going to be extremely expensive and I’m just unsure what it will arrive at the very end, what will be derived from it, what value added will come from it,” Cunningham said.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has said that disciplinary action will be taken where there is evidence of wrongdoing in relation to the scandal.
“Yesterday’s report once again underlines what has been a particularly bleak chapter in An Garda Síochána. An unacceptable catalogue of major deficiencies and an unacceptable litany of instances of very bad behaviour on the part of the gardaí,” Flanagan said.
There is a process underway under assistant commissioner Michael Finn where he will assess the situation as far as responsibility is concerned.
Yes, it is very important that where there is evidence of wrongdoing that there would be certain culpability in that regard and that there would be a process to ensure that disciplinary action will be taken.
Earlier this year, an internal report authored by Assistant Commissioner Michael O’Sullivan revealed a discrepancy of more than a million breath tests over an eight-year period.
The report into Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT), which was published at the start of September, found a discrepancy of over 1.4 million between the number of tests counted on the Garda PULSE system and the number actually registered by the force’s Dräger breathalyser devices.
This figure, which accounts for the period between 2009-2017, represents a 71% disparity between the number of tests recorded and those actually carried out.
It was reported earlier this year that between 2011 and 2016, just over 933,000 false breath tests were recorded on Garda PULSE systems. However, it was subsequently revealed that a further 500,000 false breath tests were recorded but not carried out.
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Its very simple, the more these guys strike, the less people bother to travel with them and the more money Aer Lingus loses. This transforms into more job losses, so essentially the staff are now ensuring that they all completely lose thier jobs. Sack them all and offer the jobs to people who are unemployed and looking for work. Problem solved.
The staff are now ensuring they all completely lose their jobs ? The more morons think like that the happier the likes of Michael o Leary will be treating staff ( humans, people ) the same way they’d treat a stapler or a pen. Why don’t people actually strive to have better working conditions instead of wanting to drag all workers down to the level they obviously have to endure.
Why not go for a 5:2 roster so with some guarantee of weekends off? Why would the public support a cause not prepared to work a 5 day week? I say that as a customer. One who now needs to reconsider to rebook to FR. Maybe there is a case but Impact haven’t landed any blows yet. Of course the public has no input but they are the customers.
Also I thought pilots has bought a 10 to 15% holding in AL? Why would they support such losses so?
Two more days will practically wipe out this year’s profit. When you reach that point it’s win at all costs with a guarantee it won’t happen again.
You have the choice to leave such job if you wish to. Not happy move on and let someone else in.
Business Question: I presume that part of an Aer Lingus employee’s contract and T&C’s upon commencing employment with the airline is that they will be in a Trade Union etc etc. Can Senior Management at Aer Lingus just pull the plug on these perks / remove association with Trade Unions (I’m guessing not…) or do all current Employee’s contracts state ‘this & that’ about Union membership…. It would be great if Senior Management could but ….. Thanks
How is it a moronic comment? Staff strike, services stop, customers angry and instead book with another airline. Aer Lingus lose so much business they will be forced to put up prices, more people then switch to a different airline and Aer Lingus goes bust. Then all their jobs are gone. Its a simple process and what will happen. If you dont like your handy job where you get a decent wage and perks as well as seeing different parts of the world then get a new one. Im sure when these people appiled for the job knew it wasnt a 9 to 5. Orange trolly dollys is all they are and now the public hate them.
Aer lingus cabin crew are greedy ,selfish and couldn’t give a toss about families who have scrimped and saved every penny to go on a holiday . They want the same roster as pilots ?? But just one thing…there not pilots…being a pilot is a tad more stressful than serving tea !!!
Look over there at the cabin crew. They’re not pilots. (Just a little spelling lesson for you, as you obviously missed that class whilst doing foundation level English).
Spelling national a s s hole
Pg
I agree , years ago I worked as a temporary baggage handler at Dublin Airport.
I enjoyed the job ,and applied for a full time position, I asked what the chances were to a permanent handler , his response was ( while smiling ) ‘Not a chance “Pal”‘ , I said ‘why not ‘ he said ‘ your not- yer not “in-there” , ya know! Yer not one of the gang, no temporary fellas ever get hired, ya have ta be in the “know” ya know whar I mean’?
They generally treated temporary employees like a second class serf , not the management- but by the “privileged” permanent union members, I over heard them scoffing critically about the temporary seasonal workers, and on another occasion heard one of them say … ‘ phuck’n deadly isn’t it, ….#%^+= grand fer thrown a few bags on to a plane, then another throws in ‘ an free holidays too’.
this was a long time ago, I wonder if anything has changed.
@OMG, its actually spelt correctly but used in the wrong way, so it would be a grammatical error, back to foundation level for you
I don’t care how good or bad the Aer Lingus managements are but IMPACT is the worst offender for trying to bring the precious jobs down!
I travel every second week for work, I have 3 flight booked into Europe so far. I got screwed last Friday coming back from San Fran , took me all sorts to get home, next trip is 18th June. I couldn’t believe it was another strike day!
As a loyal,aerlingus traveller I am sick of it. Yes good working conditions, but strike? WTF .
Get back to the table!
Next week I am changing all my trips to avoid aer lingus , we have many choices as business travellers and this time I for one A&E going to use them!
Same here, the 18th so won’t be booking with them again. Ryanair all the way.
Our dear minister has only “grave concern” well get off your backside and do your job.. Sort out this mess ffs
EI is a private company. It’s no longer in the power of the minister to do anything about it. It was privatised. A minority state shareholding is just that – a minority stake. He has no power to do anything much. Maybe we should have thought about that when we privatised what could considered a vital part of our transport infrastructure.
I would say with the treat of more industrial action that the talks will ramp up and an agreement will be in place a day or two before any more strikes, each side has far to much to lose at this stage, both sides are just playing hard ball at the moment,
It’s not private does the state not have a stake
You will all be working for Ryanair soon and you won’t know how good you had it
#aerlingusoddsontogooutofbusinessifthisgoesonanylonger
Ryanair wouldn’t hire them.
Cabin crew always thought themselves a tad special, I think they are doing themselves no favours by this course of action. The company should be more robust in their dealings with the union, its unskilled work and they should be thankful for their jobs when others are loosing theirs.
Do you feel this how all staff/employees should be treated or just aer lingus staff
I disagree that it’s unskilled work. For the most past, the passengers on a flight only sees a cabin crew member offering food/drinks etc. What they don’t see is the regular training involved and required by the regulatory authority (I.A.A). Training that is carried out on a repeated basis throughout the crew member’s working life. So just imagine for a moment you are on a flight and a fire breaks out, because some gombeen decided to have a cigarette in the toilet area, put the not fully extinguished cigarette into the bin, where it set fire to the disposed tissues. Who do YOU think is going to attempt to put out the fire? Is it YOU? Are you trained regarding the position of the fire extinguishers on board an aircraft, are you trained in how to approach a suspected fire in an enclosed area? When you do open the toilet door and smoke starts billowing out, how are YOU planning to breath, if indeed you are the one putting yourself forward to fight the fire…. (Smoke does make breathing rather difficult, just in case you weren’t aware). What about if the battery in your laptop/iPad/iPhone or mother mobile device catches fire… Who is going to attend to that, you now have a highly reactionary fire in a metal tube containing several hundred people flying at 38,000 feet, are YOU going to be the one to extinguish it…. do you even know how to extinguish a fire caused by a lithium battery…. Don’t be depending on the cabin crew, sure they will be far too busy serving tea and coffee….. (After all, it’s unskilled work according to your good self). Figured it out yet… Let’s throw this one at you…. You are half way across the Atlantic en-route to the USA, your elderly relative who is accompanying you on the flight, suffers a heart attack or cardiac arrest……. Who’s going to ensure your relative survives..? (remember you are out over the Atlantic ocean, hours from land and any chance of reaching a hospital. Have you been trained in the use of a defibrillator…. Again, according to your wise words, the cabin crew will at this stage probably just be serving the main meal to the hungry passengers, so again, they will be far too busy to deal with medical cases, and after all they are “Apparently” unskilled workers. They are medically qualified in first aid, fire fighters, they will ensure you evacuate safely in an emergency. Unskilled work… Indeed. Educate yourself a little, it’s as far from unskilled work as you are at knowing how to spell..
Best post of the week – although yours and mine will get red thumbs for speaking the truth!
Not much skill involved there to be honest. A few health and safety courses is all you really described.
I’d correct you’re own spelling first ,but perhaps you’re grammatical composition needs an even closer examination before you press send. I never mentioned serving tea by the way !
“you’re”….. Really? Please tell us you’re mis-spelling that intentionally. Pay attention now…. “You’re driving to your house”. There is a difference you know, or do you?
@OMG, brilliant!
No matter what job you go into, there is always job specific training, whether its how to use the photocopier, till, manual handling, health and safety. This doesn’t mean its a skilled job.I think the skilled people are the ones flying the plane, especially after the thousands of hours training etc. And I find it difficult to believe that they give a fcuk about the itchy bitchy flight attendents ‘issues’ as there are plenty of people on our Island to replace cabin crew who simply do not like the work they signed up for. Also, constant training in a job is normal, doesn’t make it a skilled profession.
Medically qualified in first aid. As opposed to just being qualified. You seem to be using alot of filler words. Is this just more AL guff? I hope you realise that regular joes can get 1st aid training. In every large store in the country there are people trained in the use of defibrillators. Cabin crew have this terribly scewed view of themselves altogether it seems. Maybe if yee stepped off the pedestal, you might realise that while you work in the sky it doesn’t make you any more special than the workers anywhere else. As I have said before – plenty of people there to replace ye, crying out for jobs, while the unions protect the lazy who want more for less
Elizabeth,does that therefore invalidate there grievances due to their lack of ‘skill’.if so I think we should just rip up employment law and rewrite again so as to make it relevant to those who are ‘skilled’ and educated.
Having spoken to a number of pilots over the years I can honestly say most wouldn’t trade places with cabin crew even for a day.some pilots were in attendance on the day of the last stike in solidarity.they have also been in dispute with the airline due to similar erratic roasters so understand fully what cabin crew are going through because they see it on a day to day basis
Lack of skill doesn’t invalidate anyones grief or hardship. It was a response to OMG who doesn’t seem to consider that her/his ongoing training, specific to the job they do, is not a practise exclusive to cabin crews of any airline. This goes across the board in any occupation from agriculture, health and beauty, industrial medical, transport, technical and services industries. This OMG person also has left some distasteful comments regarding levels of English taken in secondary school, which doesn’t seem to be of any relevance, or help their cause, it just shows the rest of the people reading here the calibre of what we’ll be seeing more of in the coming weeks: self important whingers who are two feet above the rest of us. If everyone who is unhappy with their work conditions did what AL are doing the country would come to a standstill. Work is work, fun is fun.
I think you will find your itchy bitchy comment was rather distasteful and really does say a lot about your calibre.
As I’ve said already on this thread arm yourself with factual knowledge regarding the working life of cabin crew at Aer Lingus before commenting.
Majority don’t help their cause. Maybe they’d have more sympathy if their approach was different. They are provoking anger with their strike actions. If I was part of the CC I’d be mortified that OMG was let loose on the internet representing their noble cause. I however am not representing any organisation, I’m not part of a strike process, nevermind a heavily publiscised one, so I’m only answering to myself, and I’m quite comfortable with my itchy bitchy comment.
You may also say that OMG is bot representing anyone – but they are. In an unofficial capacity they are on the internet trying to fight a corner by picking on people’s level of English (more than once) and ongoing training and their rosters. That leaves people with a taste of contempt towards them, and in the end they’ll have noone to blame but themselves
Do you know a majority of cabin crew personally to make such pajorative statements.
Strikes by there nature are provocative and especially if the general public are effected by it,which is understandable.but this action was not taken lightly and came after a prolonged period in which management at the airline refused to deal with issues that have arisen.
You say you are not representing anybody but you certainly seem to have taken on the mantel of spokesperson for the general public
Sounds like unskilled work to me
Just sell it all to Ryanair and put an end to this rubbish.
They’ll all be looking for the dole soon.
I hope to other waitresses around the country don’t join forces – I’ll have nowhere to get my coffee!
Donnie ,your a master of the put downs
You moronic idiots. Support your fellow workers and stop systematically stripping people’s rights as worker’s. Typically Irish, we need to take a leaf out of the French people’s book and support our unions.
I for one definitely don’t support them, they want to be treated the same as pilots and have the same time off for pushing a trolley and serving tea for a few hours it’s ridiculous, people working in cafés work a hell of a lot harder with less time off, pay and perks for the whole family on top of that
So what you are proposing is that we burn truckloads of sheep, riot, loot, blockade ports, fuel refineries and transport links so as to bring the nation to a halt. That will cost hundreds of millions and put thousands of jobs in jeopardy so that a few hundred can air their grievances. If they don’t like their conditions they know where the door is unless of course they are being forced to work.
Agree totally. Next time they walk out leave them out. Plenty of young people working as waitresses would be delighted to double their salary to ply their trade in the air
In fairness Stephen they too have a 900 hour flying limit each year.
Naw,dont think so mate,best of luck with your French lessons.
@Gerbreen I understand they have a limit aswell but the majority of AL flights are to Europe so around 5 hours on the plane give or take plus the cabin crews would be changed around for any of the long haul flights so it’s only the odd time that they’d have to work longer hours. At the end of the day if I was flying within Europe and there was no cabin crew personal I would be slightly hungry getting off that’s about it. They aren’t essential, if it was the nurses, doctors, guards or any other front line service personal striking to improve conditions I’d be behind them 100% but cabin crew have it easy when you look at the bigger picture and they want it even easier.
@stephen Crew are highly trained in safety. This is their first and foremost job so they are essential. You don’t have a clue about this topic
Cop on and realise that unions and lazy so called workers are ruining good businesses. These workers are never happy, typical semi state attitude
@joe yeah they’re highly trained with 5 weeks of training in a classroom, if you think that’s highly trained you must think anybody who’s spent 6 months training is a genius and a master at their chosen profession cop on would you
Stephen,you really haven’t got a clue what you are talking about.please do some research and arm yourself with factual knowledge on exactly what a working week is like for cabin crew doing 50+ hours.
I hope for your sake you are in a front line position in your chosen career/profession because by your reasoning you are just as worthless as cabin crew
“Support unions”?…..that’s like saying support the destruction of the economy
If these idiots strike again they’ll deserve the consequences! 90% of the public are against the strike! Moran bully unions using the bully tactics when there is a labour court out there to help sort things out.
I work shift work senior managers (flying the plane) work day shifts …why dont i just strike as well so i can have equal terms! Utter rubish
About time people are standing up for themselves( I will not be a sheep anymore) as a mother first then a cabin crew member, I should have a work life balance.
People need to get the facts right and stop as usual reading one sided media posts.
Were you not aware of the rosters when you took up the job?
Won’t be a sheep? Your company has been fleecing the Irish people for years. But there is a choice now. AL not even the biggest airline in Dublin anymore.
Ask youself why.
If you want public support – tell us why. Back it up your facts. Your union obviously can’t.
Ger,you have trolled these threads for days,time and time again you have been given reasons for this action.
Now please take some time and read over what has been posted here and stop spouting your rubbish
In fairness Trev you have been one of few who habe provided some answers.
I am not a troll. I am a customer.
God love ya!! We’ll see you signing on soon so you will have no work/life balance!!
@johnny reynolds the Crew are a million miles from waiter/waitressess, they are as I’ve stated elsewhere on this page highly trained in safety and to deal with medical emergencies. A waiter down the local pub/restaurant wouldn’t be proficient on these matters
Basic first aid training Joe, a lot of people around Ireland have it, they’re not that special
it’s far from basic, it’s a lot more in depth than that bear in mind that they are sometimes upto 30mins or even an hour away from an airport if over the Atlantic. They are trained to liase with a doctor over the phone for example. Can they all these people around Ireland use a defibrilator for example?
Defibrilators located in public places can be used by anyone that can read or listen to instruction from the machine itself. They don’t require specialist training.
Its basic Joe, my wife is an Cabin Crew Instructor, 6 weeks training, with 3 days first aid and an open book exam at the end.
Did she become a trainer because she couldn’t hack the job.prefered the easy life, can happen a lot with those who train other people
No Trev, she wanted more of a challenge and for health reasons can’t fly constantly anymore, if she could she would still fly all the time
I’m lost, I thought she wanted more of a challenge why would she continue flying all the time if this was the case.doesnt make sense.
Did your wife ever work 50+ hours while flying or did her health problems cause her to leave before these new roasters came in.
Very soon they’re not going to have a company to strike against
Best of luck to cabin crew, all day want is good fair roster , and 3 years wait for it , in mean time the top management are paid far to much, not word said about this .
I always find the aer lingus staff look down their noses at you. Everything is an inconvience for them. Now they have shown what they really are. Fake tanned over paid has been trolley dollies.
And you take this as your opportunity to look down your nose at them.
Proud day for you my friend
You’re not my friend Trev!
Ya your right,I couldn’t be friends with a misogynist
In future don’t put the friend part in a comment so you won’t have to retract it after. Tends to show an indecisiveness on your part.
Misogyny is an awful trait though
Are you a woman Trev?
I bet you would like me to be tho
Yes Donal i did, and over the past 9 years I don’t think I actually worked one full roster without multiple changes that would send anyone mad.
Maybe your unaware this dispute is going on three years and only come to a strike now. Not what cabin crew wanted at all.
Amanda try working for Dunnes, Tescos or any other shop that pays a lot less then Aer Lingus and you will find that the roster changes from week to week or even day to day. Many people working in restaurants and bars don’t know from one day to the next if they are working or for how long. Try sales reping on the road and get paid a standard salary while working 60+ hour weeks which I used to do. I didn’t know if I was going to be home every night or away all week. Try being self employed where your roster is thrown out the window because you are constantly working 24/7 as no-one else will pay into your pension, life insurance, health insurance or anything else.
No one is forcing you to work as far as I know, so if you are so pissed off with the conditions why not leave and get another job?
That’s the union line also Amanda albeit a bit more dramatic. Little factual evidence. That’s one of the reasons you have little public support I suspect.
Rosters change all the time, it’s the nature of the beast unfortunately, would have still taught people would be happy with a job that is fairly well paid, people talk about France and the unions, well France has lost a lot of their big business because of unions and strikes. I’m all for workers rights but to be fair your union stuck it’s two fingers up at the traveling public last week so why expect people to understand
I was on a series of flight over the past few days as a passenger, (with Aer Lingus), and not one passenger disputed the strike, in fact they were all in agreement with the crew on those flights and wished them good luck.
OMG looking at your twitter page I was just wondering whether
1 You are working as a cabin crew member
2 You were traveling on a heavily discounted standby flight that used to be a perk of the job (€150 return to the US i believe) before ye threw that away.
3 If “they were all in agreement” does that mean that the cabin crew went around to all the passengers and asked their opinion?
4 Did the cabin crew also ask the 40,000 or so passengers who’s flights were canceled as well and if so what was the customers reaction?
No I am not cabin crew with Aer Lingus, I was a fully paid up passenger. All I am stating is that all the passengers I saw interacting with the cabin crew were in favour of what the cabin crew were fighting for. When I stated that “They were all in agreement”, I didn’t mean to imply every passenger on board, just those that I saw talking to cabin crew. I would have thought that that would have being easily deduced from my statement, obviously not everybody has that ability to deduce the obvious. (Oh and just so you are aware, the words are spelled “Cancelled”, “Travelling”, “Whose” and “Customer’s”. You managed to spell my username correctly though, so I still have fate in the human race:) I know it was probably a little difficult for you but you did well, give yourself a pat on the back. (We’ll ignore your basic spelling mistakes in your reply to Amanda further up the page.. you do realise there are adult education classes available nowadays)?
Seeing as you’re being so pedantic with spelling and grammar. I believe it’s ‘faith’, not ‘fate’ in the context you were using it. Smart arse.
OMG are you aware that there is a spell check option in posting on the Journal that allows for the use of either traveled (US) or travelled (UK) depending on your spell check options? I know that this is probably a revelation to you and that you must now be feeling like an idiot for sarcastically putting down people for their spelling when in fact their spelling was right all along based on their settings.
As for things being obvious, when you state “not one passenger disputed the strike, in fact they were all in agreement with the crew” it would lead any reasonable person ( in the absence of you stating how many people the crew were talking to) to assume that all 300 or so people on the plane were involved in this great show of solidarity! I do commend you on your lip reading skills though seeing as you got all of this information from people ” that I saw talking to cabin crew”. It must be hard reading the lips of other people through the back of their head or even at the other end of the plane but hey, it must be a great skill to have.
Absolutely, you are correct. I’ll take that one on the chin.
You conducted this analysis with all the passengers ????
Jaysus Brian I’d say you checked that post several times before you put it up. Well said though. It should not be assumed that we have all had an equal education on this forum, but it should be expected that we all have the equal right to comment irrespective of the odd spelling faux pas.
So is your argument that just because the conditions in one industry are shite, they should be shite everywhere? Is that what you’re saying? That’s a silly argument
Well done aer lingus staff, keep
Up the good fight!
There is a big problem with the rosters people don’t strike for nothing. I support them & hope it is resolved soon. Ordinary workers deserve respect. I hope the management enjoy their bonuses supported by Ryanair & the government
OMG, OMG get over yourself and get us a cup of tea and a sandwich, and no I don’t want any duty free
It’ll all end in tears when Aer Lingus goes belly up. Ryanair won’t be interested in hiring them either.
Stick to your guns aer lingus workers, ignore all the idiotic comments on here, stand up for your terms and conditions, people who complain on here have no backbone and must let their bosses treat them like shite.
No backbone……maybe!
Or maybe most of us knew what we were getting ourselves into when signed our contracts?
This is looking bad a lot of people will loose out and that is doing no good for both sides
Was on an AL flight to Paris a couple of years ago. A young chap on his first ever flight panicked and started freaking out. The stewardesses moved the chap next to him, and one of them sat beside him for the whole flight, calming him down and reassuring him, thereby also relaxing all the passengers around him too. Brilliant work. The Ryanair standard response to the same situation is to have the passenger arrested for air rage.
Why are there red thumbs for this post?
See a few Airbus A320s on Done Deal…
I can categorically state that the following statement in the above article is completely untrue ” despite claims from Aer Lingus that it was willing to continue negotiations.” They wont listen to the alternative roster plans and refused to have a meeting to discuss why they are willing to remain with a less cost effective roster and refuse to a roster that would both save money and have a happy workforce.
“Completely untrue”…… Just like Declan Kearney stating last week that cabin crew were looking for an extra 32 days off per year whilst being fully paid for those days. Absolute nonsense, and his statement showed his true colours. I note on a short video report on RTE news today that he also states “We (the management) are at a loss to understand…….” That’s exactly what happens when managers acquire the position on no other basis other than they applied for the job, as is the case with the vast majority of so called “Managers” in Aer Lingus. This is proven time and again with the long running IR issues throughout the company. The managers have for the most part no management training, and are literally “Winging it”, (Pardon the pun). “……….at a loss to understand …”. That sure does sum up Aer Lingus management.
Turns out OMG is aer lingus cabin crew !!! Hardly surprising judging by the one sided comments !
Either way … the union could produce stats rather than stories. They haven’t. Thet can’t.
Anyway I suppose I just to run the risk and make alternative arrangements at my own cost if my flights fall foul of the dispute. Let’s see. I won’t wish ye good luck.
So most people comments are your being paid crap and you have to work crap shifts for a company that’s makes a lot of profit, deal with it. Makes a lot sense when it’s not you dealing with it, fair play to then standing up for them selfs and trying to get what they are due. If people stood together instead of always backing the company we would all be paid much better.
I support the Cabin Crew 100%, but they are now being mislead by their union. Nowhere on the ballot paper did it mention 5+3. What the crew wanted was a fair roster with a few issues addressed which was split days off and a reduced limit on how much the company can change them on a daily basis. The company wouldn’t negotiate for 3 years which lead to frustration and escalation.
Mueller sent out an email to staff this evening in which he seemed to now want to work with staff to address these issues. When they addressed the unions demand for 5+3 would interfere with the current computer system for rosters which allows specific requests which average at around 60% he said the union changed course completely.
I completely supported the first strike which got the companys attention and made them wake up. But the union need to drop the 5+3 demand and instead work with the company to improve the current imbalanced system and to remedy the problems that exist namely the split days and the 4 hours a day the company can add as soon as staff check in.
In the email I do think Mueller was sincere and I hope the crew take notice and get their union to refocus what they are actually looking for.
let the company go bankrupt all contracts gone. Start from the beginning, they are still valuable they can sell it without the staff just pay em off. Start it all new, no perks just general stuff i guarantee they will be better than Ryan air because they have better routes and will start making money better than before but on a clean slate. Everyone will have to re apply if they want their jobs and then we will see what happens. the UNIONS and the company need to get it together they cant have everything their own way its a company and they have a responsibility to their shareholders and the general public of this island.
Impact should be prosecuted. They are too anxious to strike!
Has this union any patriotism?
Do they really care about the Tourist Industry. They are destroying owners if hotels B&Bs car hire companies etc.
Shame on you!
The government has a duty to bring in legislation to stop these types of unnecessary strikes!
Turkey’s voting for Christmas !
To all Aer lingus cabin crew – your company is on the brink of moving your jobs to America. Your union is powerless to stop this. You cannot hold the public ransom by striking. Your union could ask the labour court to address your working conditions. Times have changed in your industry. Being cabin crew staff across the world has changed. Your roster is no different to that of the drivers in Dublin bus and why should it be? If Aer Lingus move operations to the US, you will find it near impossible to find a similar job here. Future employers will refuse troublesome staff.
Thomas,aer lingus have no intentions of opening a base in America,this was tried a few years ago and failed.
The airline has certainly changed over the years and Aer Lingus cabin have more than changed with it,and under Green Fields cost saving measures cabin crew shouldered their responsibilitys for the survival of the airline.new roasters were introduced which over the years have become more and more erratic and physically unmanageable,the company has been aware of these issues for a number of years but chose to play brinkmanship on the issues.
The question has to be asked why management have left this situation develop.
As for the job being the same as a bus driver,cabin crew is a completely different job.
Trev, I’m simply pointing out that cabin crew rosters are not unusual. Yes driving a bus is not like what cabin crews do. However 100% of bus drivers do shift work. They have only 2 weekend off in a 6 week roster. 70% are spare drivers and work day to day not knowing their next days working hours will be until 3pm the day before. The only thing their sure of is that they must have 10hr rest before next shift. Your union are calling the companies bluff. Given the loss of millions of euros that strike causes It would be foolish to think Aer Lingus management will cave in when they know by moving to a US base they can save the airline and gain public support.
About three or four times a year, I travel to and from Dublin to visit with family and friends. About four years ago, I was on an AerLingus flight coming from Dublin. On this flight, there was aan who was given several “free” drinks from the flight attendant. While the meal was being served, he began to throw food (from his mouth) onto other passengers. When myself and other passengers brought this to the attention of the flight attendant, her sole response was as she gathered the empties: “Well, let’s get rid of the evidence.” By her actions, it was quite apparent that this passenger was an acquaintance of hers. I had written a letter to AerLingus telling them about what happened only to receive a form letter staring that they hope to see me on a future AerLingus flight. Needless to say, they won’t be! This once proud airline has lost a once loyal customer. This current job action as the summer travel season approaches needless to say more customers will be lost.
If you want a “waiter/waitress”to make sure you arrive safely to your destination, then fly with Starbucks or Costa……..
Well said!
Congratulations to the Aer Lingus staff for standing up for your rights and refusing to be bullied by the massively paid Aer Lingus CEO and his henchmen.
You have provided an excellent quality of service over the years but the new management spurred on by the Fine Gael jackboot fascists ( and one dunces on here of course) would have you work for a loaf of bread a week and tell you that you are lucky to have a job !
Those of us who respect workers and abhor worker exploitation support you and wish you every success.
Beir bua !!!
Tell them get back to “work” or get the boot,think alot of people would like the number they have.
Would that someone be you
Do you actually know what the job entails
As a trained defibrillator user myself, I can confirm that such devices are so user friendly, to the extent that you basically follow instructions verbatim from a recorded message. Though of course, I can only imagine on how I’d react if and when called upon.
I suspect this ‘woe betide’ attitude of some air stewards is not going to wash PR wise. Striking is a nuclear option that should only be used in exceptional circumstances. A dispute over a roster does not qualify, in my opinion. There’s a great many on the live register who would gladly assume AL cabin crew terms without much deliberation…
FIRE THEM!
Been burned too many times by these damn strikes.
Get rid of them before they drive the company fully into the ground.
Its amazing how many times have minsters come out criticise bankers..Anglos… developers. .business men who pay no tax in this country but give donations to their party.. but come out fairly fast when workers fighting for better conditions.. ps enjoy ur 3 month summer hols ..yours a tax paying worker supporting follow workers
They should have allowed Ryanair to buy Aerlingus there would have been no problems.
The minister, as a representative of a
Major shareholder in the company, should call bulls**t on the staff and unions. The shares are a state asset and a bunch of glorified waitresses are costing the tax payer millions
The cabin crew should be glad that they have jobs. There are thousands of people unemployed who would be very happy to take over their roles under the new conditions that AL want to operate.
My understanding is that AL need to make these changes for the good of the company so let them get on with it and manage the change.
If the AL cabin crew don’t like the change resign and find another job!
have your say