Joe Higgins Statement on Hangargate

national | worker & community struggles and protests | other press Wednesday February 17, 2010 19:02 by Ghurnet

Press Statement from Joe Higgins MEP, Socialist Party

“It is extraordinary how the media is a willing tool in acting as a bullhorn for Ryananir’s Michael O’Leary in the controversy over his demand to be handed over Hangar 6 at Dublin Airport in order to provide 300 aircraft maintenance jobs".

“The massive publicity given to Ryanair’s dictat that it must have absolute control over the major hangar at Dublin Airport to create these jobs is in stark contrast with the failure of the media and establishment political parties to support our call at the beginning of last year for ALL 1150 jobs to be secured through the renationalisation of the SR Technics facility which had 3 years of work on its order books. At that point it would have been entirely possible for the state to set up a publicly owned aircraft maintenance. Instead a multinational company was allowed to wreak havoc on this highly viable industry with no outrage on the part of the media.

“Mr O’Leary’s current manoeuvrings in demanding control over Hangar 6 are deeply cynical and his attitude, even by his standards, extraordinarily arrogant. Michael O’Leary is taking advantage of the unemployment crisis and is being allowed to portray himself in the media as a saviour of workers’ rights. However, will he guarantee that workers’ wages and conditions would be maintained at the level of that of SR Technics workers and allow union organisation?

“Ryanair’s anti-union and anti-worker activities over the last number of years shows that Mr. O’Leary is no workers’ champion. His motivation in demanding ownership of Hangar 6 or nothing is highly suspicious to say the least.

“I am calling for a different approach entirely to job creation in aircraft maintenance rather than a blind dependence on companies like Ryanair. Team Aer Lingus which was built into a premier company with a worldwide reputation is a model of what can be achieved. I call on the state to intervene now to re-establish a state owned aircraft maintenance plant, to restore the thousand jobs lost last year including the dozens of apprentices who were let go.”