More than 1,000 workers are expected to leave Dublin and Cork airports as part of a voluntary severance programme that is being operated by the airports' parent company, DAA.
As reported by The Irish Times, DAA offered voluntary severance to its over 3,100 employees in the Republic of Ireland in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and DAA chief executive Dalton Philips has now told staff in a letter that 850 employees have left as part of the voluntary severance programme so far, and more are due to leave in the coming weeks.
The Irish Times quotes Philips as saying, "In total, the current right-sizing programme will see more than 1,000 Irish-based staff permanently leave the organisation - that's about a third of our workforce."
In Line With What Was Announced Last Year
The expected final number of job losses is in line with what DAA indicated when it first announced that it planned to reduce its employee count in May of last year.
Incentives
The Dublin Airport and Cork Airport operating company offered employees up to two years' pay as well as other incentives to volunteer for the voluntary severance programme.
Full Pay Restoration
Philips also told staff that from March 28 DAA will restore full pay to employees who are not leaving and who have accepted work practice changes.
DAA's employees have been receiving 80% of their usual pay since April of 2020, and Phillips said that the loss of overtime, bonuses, profit and gain share means that actual pay cuts are 45% in some cases.
Philips asked remaining employees to take a minimum of 20 days of leave or time off in lieu due to them between March 28 and September 11 to help prepare DAA for when recovery starts.
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
