Over 150 Flights Cancelled Over Strike

Some tens of thousands of air travellers will be unable to fly today because of a major strike by air traffic controllers, leading to the closure of the State's three main airports.

The industrial action, which will affect Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, is a move by colleagues of 15 air traffic controllers that were suspended for failing to co-operate with disputed new work practices involving new technology.

After the suspensions, the controllers’ union IMPACT said it would carry out a work stoppage through mandatory meetings today between 2pm and 6pm in Dublin and Shannon and between 4pm and 6pm in Cork.

IMPACT official Michael Landers said the action is in direct response to the staff suspensions. He said that the core issues have been referred to the Labour Court, and that the IAA should not be suspending staff while the process is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have said this morning that significant numbers of flights will be disrupted and cancelled today because of the action and apologised to the travelling public and to customer airlines for the disruption.

In a plea to the air traffic controllers, the IAA also released an impassioned statement underlining why they felt the strike action was misjudged.

Spokesperson for the authority Lilian Cassin said: "They are among the best paid public servants in the country. On average, they cost the Irish Aviation Authority €160,000 each. Earnings for the top ten per cent of controllers in the country last year ranged from €170,000 to €230,000.

"They work 182 days a year, they have 137 rest days, and 36 days holidays - in addition to 10 public holidays. They work a 35 hour week. They are entitled to a break of 30 minutes for every two hours worked. They work five days and then get three days off.

"We want them to be reasonable and suspend discussion of this 6% increase. We have told them we will be happy to review it in 2012. We want them to make a contribution to their own excellent pensions, in line with everyone else in the public sector. We have not cut salaries. We are not cutting jobs."

"Paying this 6% would cost the IAA an additional € 6 million each year. This cost would have to be passed in its entirety to the airlines who fund the IAA - the Authority receives no State funding and operates a cost recovery model.

"The airlines cannot afford to pay any increases in the current economic climate. The aviation industry is on its knees. Airlines cannot afford to take on this additional cost."

Ryanair spokesman Stephen Macnamara also questioned the motives for the strikes saying it was up to the Govt to ensure Irish airports remained open "either by facing down this public sector strike or better still calling in the army to keep air traffic control operating".

(DW/GK)