I propose to share time with Deputy Callely.
Adjournment Debate. - TEAM Aer Lingus Dispute.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I thank the Minister for coming into the House to deal with this matter. I welcome the intervention of the Labour Court in this dispute.
On a number of occasions I addressed the Minister in respect of other disputes. The TEAM Aer Lingus dispute demonstrates the Government's laissez faire attitude towards industrial relations. For too long the Government has stood aside and abandoned TEAM Aer Lingus and its workforce. It is incredible that the Government did not appoint a Minister with responsibility for industrial relations. In most instances when disputes arise Ministers go into hiding. It is clear that the Minister for Enterprise and Employment should have been actively involved in directing the Labour Court to intervene much earlier in the dispute and bringing management and SIPTU together to agree a settlement. There is too much at stake and the Government cannot and should not remain aloof.
Crucial contracts for a number of key airlines will be jeopardised if this strike proceeds. The financial implications for TEAM, with an annual turnover of £70 million per year, are horrendous. The Labour Court should deal not only with the outstanding issues relating to productivity pay, shared work zones, etc. but also with the overall industrial relations climate which is obviously in need of a complete overhaul. The central issue involved in this dispute is that of productivity pay which was referred to the Labour Court by SIPTU in November 1995. There has been much shadow boxing and cat and mouse games have been played by both sides in the interim. Much valuable time has been wasted. A Labour Court meeting involving both sides should have taken place some time ago and the outstanding issues should have been dealt with head on. There are 80 aircraft maintenance assistants involved out of a workforce of 1,500. I am concerned that a comprehensive agreement be reached before the dispute spills over to include the remainder of that workforce.
TEAM Aer Lingus has had an unhappy industrial relations history. The time has come to place relations between management and workers on a sound footing. The key element for the Labour Court is to establish trust between both sides. I hope it will now address the broader issues of industrial relations procedures at TEAM and that a just and fair agreement, which will be honoured by management and union alike, will be reached. Customer confidence in TEAM must be restored. If the threat of repeated industrial disruption hangs over the company, its present and potential customers will look elsewhere in what is a very competitive market.
TEAM management and its workforce will have to work in a spirit of solidarity using modern industrial relations practices to establish lasting viability and growth. In the long-term, this will restore the company to a healthy and profitable position. This is what everyone wants to help achieve for the company. However, I regret that, in the course of this and other disputes, the Government has shown little initiative and interest and has allowed matters to drift. In these circumstances, tensions worsen and poor relations between management and workers fester. This is not good enough with so many valuable jobs at stake.
I support Deputy Kitt on this issue. Today I tabled three parliamentary questions on the situation at Aer Lingus/TEAM Aer Lingus. Like Deputy Kitt, I am concerned about industrial relations in the company during the past number of years. The Government was to have put in place a mechanism to deal with industrial issues of this kind but I understand little progress has been made. I believe the Government should take proactive measures to address the industrial relations issue involving the national airline and TEAM Aer Lingus. It must ensure the necessary success and growth of both companies in the future.
Everyone is familiar with the difficulties which prevail in TEAM Aer Lingus. These have been present for quite some time and warrant special attention. I have no doubt that a mechanism can be found to properly address these problems. I welcome the Labour Court intervention and I hope it proves positive and successful. There is a clear commitment from the workforce of TEAM Aer Lingus. I hope the Minister will avail of this opportunity to ensure that its industrial relations difficulties are successfully and expeditiously resolved.
I do not share Deputy Tom Kitt's contention that Ministers should become actively involved, thus politicising disputes. I do not accept that is the correct thing for them to do nor do I believe they should direct the Labour Court to engage in certain actions. We have tried, well-tested machinery for dealing with labour disputes established by the Deputy's party leader when in this Department. That system is a good one, the principle on which it is based being that expertise is required to assist parties in resolving disputes which reside properly in the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court. If every time a dispute arose ministerial intervention were sought to by-pass the proper approach put in place by the Oireachtas we would undermine that machinery.
I do not consider Deputy Tom Kitt is right in his approach to issues in dispute. We must deal with them in the proper manner provided by the Oireachtas; this is not a new policy on my part but one that has been well tried and tested.
Of course I share both Deputies' concerns about the damage this dispute could do to TEAM Aer Lingus and the international reputation on which the success of its operations depend. It is regrettable that recent talks between the company and SIPTU failed to resolve the dispute.
However, as the Deputies will know, earlier today the Labour Court requested SIPTU to defer the proposed industrial action and advised that it would facilitate the parties in an early hearing of the dispute. As a result of this initiative by the Labour Court, SIPTU has deferred the proposed industrial action. I take this opportunity to welcome this development, as industrial action is not in the interests of the company, its workforce or its customers. I trust an acceptable resolution to this dispute can be reached.