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Varadkar hopes to prevent Aer Lingus strike
Leo Varadkar said that his department is examining a plan to intervene in the dispute.
THE TRANSPORT MINISTER has called on unions at Aer Lingus and the country’s major airports to avoid disruption over the St Patrick’s Day weekend.
Leo Varadkar told the Marian Finucane Show on RTÉ Radio that the upcoming industrial action by staff was a “long-standing dispute”.
Unions are planning a four hour stoppage on 14 March, in advance of the St Patrick’s Day festivities.
“They’re targeting St Patrick’s weekend,” Varadkar said, before calling on the unions to avert the action, which stems from a €700 million deficit in the company pension fund.
“They’re the ones that can stop and they should stop it.”
Varadkar said that his department were discussing contingencies and had explored the prospect of intervention by themselves, ICTU and the Department of Jobs.
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