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

"There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class...that's making war, and we're winning." They are not the words of a socialist or trade union militant but those of American billionaire, Warren Buffet. They are words that are very relevant in this case. In 2019, IAG made an operating profit of more than €2.5 billion, more than four times the temporary Aer Lingus losses. Meanwhile, workers with families have to fork out rents greater than their pandemic wage and rely on parents to help finance their weekly food shop. Workers need to get organised to protect their interests. Any worker who wants help in getting organised in this instance can contact my office and we will do our best. The revival of air traffic gives workers increased leverage and some potential power. So too does the fact that the Taoiseach and the Ministers – Deputies Coveney, Michael McGrath and Darragh O'Brien – represent airport constituencies. It is time for workers to pile the pressure on these politicians who are subsidising a company while it wages a war on its own workforce.

See this speech in context