Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has said he intends to refer the issue of a no strike clause for essential services like air traffic controllers to the Government for consideration.

The minister was speaking after a four-hour strike by controllers that disrupted flights for up to 20,000 passengers.

Aer Lingus cancelled 64 flights and Ryanair cancelled 52. Aer Arann cancelled five flights.

The strike has also forced the cancellation of two British Airways flights that transit Shannon to New York for US pre-clearance facilities.

At Cork Airport, 16 flights were cancelled affecting some 2,000 intending passengers.

Among the cancellations are flights to Paris, London, Dublin, Manchester, and Liverpool.

Airlines are advising passengers to check their websites for details of flight cancellations, rebookings and applications for refunds.

IMPACT assistant secretary Michael Landers said a decision on any escalation of the dispute would be taken tomorrow when the union’s national executive council meets.

Today’s strike caused havoc for both airlines and thousands of their passengers.

IMPACT said the 300 air traffic controllers would return to work at 6pm sharp despite having a full day’s wages docked for their four hour strike.

However, it is understood that no decision on whether to escalate the dispute will be taken until IMPACT’s national executive council meets tomorrow.

IMPACT official Michael Landers said further suspensions were expected.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey was pressed in the Dáil on the need for a no strike clause for essential services like air traffic control.

He said this was a matter he would be referring to the Government.

He said the Irish Aviation Authority was prepared to lift the suspensions of 14 controllers for failing to co-operate with new technology.

However, it is understood that staff would have to return to what the authority sees as normal work, operating disputed technology, which unions will not do until after a Labour Court adjudication.

In the meantime the industrial stalemate continues.

The Irish Aviation Authority this morning called on the air traffic controllers to resume normal working, suspend their 6% pay claim, and accept the introduction of staff contributions to their pension scheme.

In a statement, the IAA said the average controller earned a total of €160,000, with the top 10% earning up to €230,000.

They said if the 6% pay increase were granted it would have to be passed on to airlines, which were in difficult financial circumstances and could not afford it.

However, the controllers’ union IMPACT said today’s stoppage was happening solely because controllers had been suspended without pay.

IMPACT said disruption could have been avoided if management withdrew the suspensions.

They said there was no need for suspensions given that their core differences were being dealt with by the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court.

Ryanair had urged the Government to ensure airports were kept open by drafting in air traffic controllers from Baldonnel.

Cowen calls for resolution

The Taoiseach has said he hoped that both sides will use the industrial relations machinery to resolve the dispute.

Speaking in the Dáil this morning, Brian Cowen said the travelling public should not be inconvenienced over whatever differences exist at the airports.

He was replying to the Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, who said the disruption was disproportionate.

The Dáil is due to debate the dispute this afternoon.
Employers’ group IBEC has criticised the stoppage and said there was no reason why the public should be held to ransom in this way.

Small and medium enterprises group ISME accused the air traffic controllers of trying to ’sabotage the country’.

It said the message being sent out internationally was that Ireland was closed for business at a time when competitiveness was already challenged.

ISME called on Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey to immediately implement contingency measures to ensure this situation could not be repeated.