Trade Union Fórsa advises Aer Lingus cabin crew not to consent to witnesss statements

Unions have expressed deep concern over disciplinary investigation procedures at Aer Lingus that they claim disadvantage workers and contain legal flaws.

Fórsa which represents cabin crew and is affiliated with the pilots union criticises the airline for processes that it says fall short of fair standards. The clash highlights ongoing tensions between staff representatives and management at the national carrier.

Aer Lingus maintains its procedures comply with employment law while the union calls for immediate revisions to protect employee rights.

The disagreement arises as the airline reports strong financial performance and expands its network. Both sides continue talks in an effort to resolve the differences without further escalation.

Unions, particularly Fórsa which represents cabin crew, have expressed “deep concern” and “clashed” with Aer Lingus regarding disciplinary investigation procedures they claim are “legally flawed” and “disadvantage workers”. The union warned that practices used by the airline are “prejudicial” to staff and “fundamentally flawed,” prompting Fórsa to demand an immediate stop to these procedures.

Aer Lingus has been accused of removing names and specific details from documents, witness statements, and disciplinary proceedings, making it difficult for employees to defend themselves. Fórsa argued that management sometimes adds new allegations at the end of an investigation without properly presenting them to the worker involved.

Fórsa advised members not to consent to witness statements being used as accusations against colleagues. The union contends that staff should only face allegations from accusers whose statements can be cross-examined.

While Aer Lingus did not publicly comment on specific cases, it has rejected Fórsa’s claims and stated that its disciplinary, HR, and investigation processes are compliant with employment law.