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Aer Lingus workers, whose salary will be reset from 30 percent of their pre-Covid rate to 40-50 percent next month, say they live in “near poverty,” unable to buy school uniforms, cover rent or pay. gasoline. To get to work.
Others say the company prevented them from claiming welfare rights, paid them less than they would have received in Pandemic Unemployment Pay (PUP), and began pushing for changes in labor practices without a union agreement.
Aer Lingus has vigorously rejected the claims, saying that it had acted “at all times” in accordance with official guidance from the Department of Social Protection and the Commissioners of Revenue on the Covid-19 employment wage subsidy scheme.
However, some workers say they believe the airline is “trying to bleed us off” by “making it so terrible to stay that we just walk away without them having to pay layoffs.”
Senator and former social protection minister Regina Doherty told Seanad on Wednesday about the “absolutely heartbreaking” accounts she had heard from staff. She said that paying rates as low as € 317 per fortnight “is incredible” when the minimum rate in the wage subsidy and PUP plans was € 350 per week.
The workers spoke to The Irish Times on condition of anonymity, saying they were “terrified” of being identifiable to the company.
A Dublin-based cabin crew member said his weekly earnings had fallen from around € 700 to around € 200 even though he still works six shifts a month. In her 40s, she had to give up her rented accommodation “and go back to live with my mother” on the outskirts of Dublin.
“I can barely afford gas to go to work. I have a colleague who couldn’t afford to buy her children’s school uniforms when they started school. Their parents had to buy them. “
He said that he had had to wait “months” for the company to sign the UP-14 form that would allow him to request the Department of Social Protection for reduced work pay to supplement his income. Most of the interviewees repeat this difficulty.
A Dublin ground staff member who now works six days a month compared to 20 pre-Covid said his most recent biweekly paycheck was € 250.
“My hope is to get a redundancy package. Until last week they didn’t let people go. It’s like we’ve been held hostage. Many people who would have been entitled to a good package have left anyway. The psychological impact, the stress, is important. “
A member of the cabin crew, also based in Dublin and a mother of four, said she was “lucky” because her husband worked elsewhere. “We can put food on the table. But I could name 30 couples they both work for Aer Lingus. ”
His last fortnightly paycheck was for 400 euros. “What really bothers me is the way Aer Lingus has treated us. I see a lot of crew seriously depressed ”.
Former Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger, who has been contacted by “a large number” of Aer Lingus workers in West Dublin, said she had “never experienced a group of workers – especially unionized workers – so desperate.”
The former state company was “leading a race to the bottom in terms of pay and conditions,” he said. “Aviation is in crisis, but it is temporary, and the company has reserves of 900 million euros from a decade of profits.”
He called for the renationalization of the company.
Reduced hours
Aer Lingus said that due to the “catastrophic” impact Covid-19 has had on the aviation industry, it has had to “place its entire workforce on reduced hours and wages.”
“Aer Lingus is well aware of the difficult financial situation some employees are in due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 crisis.”
He said the company had tried to retain all staff on the job, but would soon offer voluntary layoffs and incentivized job break plans.
“On September 18, Aer Lingus provided employees with greater clarity on the issue of pay and warned employees in ground operations and cabin crew that pay levels will increase as of September 27 and will be reflected in payroll. fortnightly from October 7.
“Aer Lingus employees with questions about applying for income support… should contact the department directly.
“Aer Lingus greatly regrets the situation that everyone working for the airline is currently in as a result of Covid-19. Throughout this crisis, the airline has sought to secure the future of the airline for the benefit of all its stakeholders, including its employees. ”
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