Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I think their position is absurd.

Second, there is a strong tradition in Aer Lingus of trade union and management negotiating deals on behalf of workers. This has been the case over a long period, since around the time the company was formed. We will bring legislation before the House in regard to the protection of workers' rights, conditions and terms of employment. An undertaking has been given in negotiation that there will be no compulsory redundancies and that registered employment agreements, which operate on a significant scale in Aer Lingus, will be extended to groups of workers currently not covered by these agreements. The company has undertaken to do this and to register these agreements in accordance with the law. This undertaking has been recognised by various people in the trade union movement as an important achievement on behalf of the workers in Aer Lingus and on behalf of workers generally.

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