Labour Court rejects union claim to restore Aer Lingus cabin managers’ pay differential

The Labour Court did not recommend conceding the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’s claim against Aer Lingus to restore cabin managers’ 1.5-unit pay differential. The recommendation was signed on 19 December 1995. The union said it had expected the differential to continue after the 1993 Cahill Plan merged senior grades across European and transatlantic routes. Aer Lingus argued that the senior-grade differential reflected added productivity and that the union had not raised its claim during the plan negotiations. The Court said the claimants’ relativity with senior cabin crew had existed for only a short period and found no basis to recommend the claim. It said the union could pursue a claim through agreed procedures if cabin managers’ responsibilities changed.