Aer Lingus Cabin Crew to be balloted

Mebuntu

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when reading this report in today's Indo.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aer-lingus-staff-plan-strike-over-selling-of-sandwiches-35351179.html

However, buried at the end of the report and getting just one line, almost a throwaway, is a situation that looks a lot more serious than whether or not ice cream or sandwiches will be served to passengers. The assertion by the union that "They found that almost half of cabin crew went into work when they should have stayed at home due to sickness and a third took medication to sleep". The question is, how believable is that? It's easy enough to answer a question on a survey form but I'd be surprised if almost half of cabin crew would actually report for work to take charge of passenger safety on an aircraft when they feel they are too sick to do it.

billie1b

Mebuntu wrote: »

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when reading this report in today's Indo.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aer-lingus-staff-plan-strike-over-selling-of-sandwiches-35351179.html

However, buried at the end of the report and getting just one line, almost a throwaway, is a situation that looks a lot more serious than whether or not ice cream or sandwiches will be served to passengers. The assertion by the union that "They found that almost half of cabin crew went into work when they should have stayed at home due to sickness and a third took medication to sleep". The question is, how believable is that? It's easy enough to answer a question on a survey form but I'd be surprised if almost half of cabin crew would actually report for work to take charge of passenger safety on an aircraft when they feel they are too sick to do it.

Half the countries work force go to work when they feel they are too unwell to do work but the companies have you strung so tight now that you feel you need to go in, even if unwell.

Bussywussy

This is 100% union driven,the crew aren't complaining about ice cream,they are actually complaining about the union.

Jamie2k9

Bussywussy wrote: »

This is 100% union driven,the crew aren't complaining about ice cream,they are actually complaining about the union.

Hopefully it's the case and they don't give the union a mandate. It's not as if every passenger on the plane will avail of the service, striking over a handful of extra orders is a joke.

Locker10a

Bussywussy wrote: »

This is 100% union driven,the crew aren't complaining about ice cream,they are actually complaining about the union.

Well it is partially crew driven, it's because they are now loading 10% less meals in the hope less passengers will want one, and now they want the crew to serve extra sandwiches etc to passengers who are still awake/hungrybut they are only loading a handful of these sandwiches, not enough to go around. Additional to this it means an extra service to be done during what would normally be a break for the crew. Bear in mind EI operate all their flights on a minimum crew compliment, they have less crew on their flights than their direct competitors.
This is not about going on strike it's about having an input into new service standards

goingnowhere

To be fair you could always buy on board on TATL with EI for years, if you went to the mid galley, even managed a chicken and stuffing a few times.

smurfjed

This is not about going on strike it's about having an input into new service standards

Should they have a say in service standards?

Locker10a

smurfjed wrote: »

This is not about going on strike it's about having an input into new service standards

Should they have a say in service standards?

Of course, after all they are the ones doing it everyday, they'll know what will work, how long it will take etc. It's all well and good someone sitting in an office calculating savings on loading 10% less meals etc. But it's very different being the person standing there saying "I'm really sorry we don't have any meals left" to a passenger who's paid hundreds of Euro/dollars for their ticket.
Also if extra services onboard will eat into your break then are you surprised the crew want to have a say? If your employer wanted you to complete an extra task during your potential break time wouldn't you be slightly pissed

Peppa Pig

Locker10a wrote: »

Also if extra services onboard will eat into your break then are you surprised the crew want to have a say?

Indo article wrote:

However, staff will not have to work longer hours and will get the same length of time for breaks.

Surely the first call would be to discuss it with the employer, not call for a ballot to go on strike over what times the ice cream will be sold at.

As for 10% less meals being loaded - is there any evidence for this?

Locker10a

Peppa Pig wrote: »

Locker10a wrote: »

Also if extra services onboard will eat into your break then are you surprised the crew want to have a say?

Indo article wrote:

However, staff will not have to work longer hours and will get the same length of time for breaks.

Surely the first call would be to discuss it with the employer, not call for a ballot to go on strike over what times the ice cream will be sold at.

As for 10% less meals being loaded - is there any evidence for this?

It's not a ballot for strike, it's a ballot for industrial action in the form of not conducting the new service.
Funnily enough it's not published in the Indo, but yes that's the plan less meals and only a handful of these sandwiches and ice creams

Jamie2k9

So have crew followed union orders?

Pat Dunne

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

So have crew followed union orders?

Union's make recommendations to their members, not orders.