daa responds to Unite and Connect Trade Unions following threat of industrial action at Dublin Airport

The operator of Dublin Airport, daa, says it has written to both Unite and Connect trade unions representing craft workers at Dublin Airport in response to recent correspondence.

Earlier today we reported that the two trade unions representing craft workers at Dublin Airport are planning to ballot for industrial action over plans by daa to outsource maintenance jobs.

In response to Unite, daa says it ‘robustly’ refutes the ‘misstatement of the company’s position’ in recent correspondence in a protracted engagement process that has been ongoing since June 2019.

In a statement released today, daa expressed its ‘grave concern that Unite should threaten industrial action in breach of the existing resolution procedures already in place at Dublin Airport for disputes such as this.’

“Given the serious implications of a breach of such undertakings, daa has advised the trade union that they must assume that when requested to mandate the carrying out of a ballot for industrial action, members of the Unite trade union could not have been advised of their obligations to follow in these dispute resolution procedures,” the statement says.

“daa cannot countenance any unlawful industrial action that would put in jeopardy, the operation of Dublin Airport particularly given its commitment not only to engage in direct discussions but to fully utilise the dispute resolution procedures in place.

“Due to the of the gravity of the matter, daa has asked Unite to confirm:

1. That the union acknowledges its obligations to process any dispute in relation to any matter concerning its members’ employment through the agreed dispute resolution procedure and that no industrial action of any kind will be promoted, encouraged or supported in any way by the union in breach of that obligation.
2. That its members will be advised immediately of that obligation and its force and effect.
3. That the union immediately withdraws its threat to conduct a ballot for industrial action.

daa awaits an urgent response from Unite and has advised that it must reserve its right to take legal proceedings in the event that they do not respond or do so in a manner that falls short of the trade union’s obligations.”

In separate correspondence with the Connect trade union, daa says it welcomes Connect’s intention to engage and seek a satisfactory resolution of the dispute.

However, daa has also ‘sought assurances’ that Connect will adhere to the binding disputes resolution procedures agreed between both parties and that they will instruct its members in relation to those procedures.

“The exchange of correspondence between daa and its trade union partners follows the exhaustion of internal engagement processes and the industrial relations mechanisms of the State including the WRC and Labour Court concerning New Ways Of Working proposals,” the daa statement continues.

“daa has subsequently written to both trade unions requesting that Connect and Unite engage with daa on outsourcing of maintenance to third parties.

“The changes that had been sought under New Ways Of Working proposals in daa, require workers to work between terminals 1 and 2 at Dublin Airport, to follow the work, agree roster changes, use company email and use basic technology such as handheld devices such as tablets to record work and to clean their own work areas.

“Employees in Asset Management were being asked to use a company issued mobile phone to take calls, to update works orders through a computerised maintenance management system application on the phone and to have access to safety information and maintenance history of various assets across the airport campus.

“daa was also seeking to introduce emerging technologies to help bring greater efficiencies to the business as a result of the decimation caused to aviation by COVID-19. On rosters, daa was seeking to move to a 4 team, 4 cycle, 12-hour shift roster already in place at Terminal 2 for the past 11 years to simply harmonise these across the airport and introduce them in Terminal 1 and on the Airfield.

“These rosters are no different to those in place in airports across the UK and Europe and considered to be industry best practice. There were no changes proposed to employees’ terms and conditions and in some instances daa was simply asking people to follow the work in Terminal 2 as well as work in Terminal 1.

“daa has already agreed these new work arrangements with 2,000 colleagues covering 93% of its employees in 25 agreements to date. The asks of workers represented by Unite and Connect were no different and in some instances, considerably less than those sought and agreed with the majority of other employees across Dublin Airport.”