Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Some 200 workers at Aer Lingus in Cork Airport will go to bed tonight fearful for the future of their jobs. Having been kept on the company books for the entire duration of the global pandemic, these workers have now been told that they will be laid off for a ten-week period between September and November when runway repairs are to be carried out.

These workers have been forced to live on a fraction of their wages for the duration of this pandemic. They now ask the following questions. If the Minister would care to listen instead of engaging in chats, he might hear the questions the workers are asking. After the sacrifices they have made, why are they not being kept on the books? Will all of them be rehired? If and when they are rehired, will they have the same wages and conditions?

I do not trust Aer Lingus on this matter. This is a company with a history of ruthlessly driving a race to the bottom. The workers' fears are justified, in my opinion. What action does the Minister intend to take to protect these workers?

I am a supporter of the renationalisation of Aer Lingus. There are other steps the Minister could take this side of September. If, for example, the Government is providing state aid, grant aid or an employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, to the company, it could and should be conditional on these workers being kept on the books.

I will conclude by saying it would be very much in the State's interest to do this as it will have to foot the bill for any lay-offs. My message is save jobs and protect wages and conditions at Aer Lingus. The Government must act.

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