Listen to the workers - Aer Lingus management plans vicious job cuts

90% of the workers in Aer Lingus voted for industrial action this week, not for higher wages or for easier working conditions, but to put down an important marker that they are not happy with the plans to cut jobs and Ryanairise the company.

So what was the response from Aer Lingus management? They are effectively ignoring the democratically expressed voice of their workers and are proceeding with plans to slash 1,300 jobs and livelihoods.

Just as is the case currently with An Post, and in recent months in Aer Rianta and CIE, the government, who ultimately are the real management of all of these state-run companies, have endorsed the management exclusion of workers.

In the case of Aer Lingus, it is the workers, whose agreement to 3,000 redundancies, wage freezes and massive changes in working conditions have brought the company back to profit. Surely they must be allowed a proper role in planning the future strategy and development of Aer Lingus.