Labour Court recommends two years’ lost breakfast allowance for Aer Lingus assistants

The Labour Court recommended that Aer Lingus pay its Aircraft Maintenance Assistants two years’ loss of the breakfast allowance, in full and final settlement of their claim. The recommendation was dated 18 November 2002. The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union disputed the end of the allowance for three or four assistants in commuter line maintenance at Dublin Airport. It sought a payment similar to the rostered duty allowance secured by craft workers. Aer Lingus said the change was part of an agreed survival plan during a difficult financial period. The company had offered a once-off €1,250 payment at conciliation, which the assistants rejected. The allowance was €6.86 for workers on a 6am shift when it was discontinued. The Court considered both parties’ submissions before recommending the two-year payment.