Dublin Airport only guarantees security staff a 20-hour week and a €283 wage in the event of serious passenger delays

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has said it is hiring more security staff – after 1,000 staff have been bleeding during the pandemic – but can only guarantee staff 20 hours a week and expects them to work 40 hours a week “over a 24-hour day” are available. 7 roster”.

This means that despite a staffing crisis at the airport, the DAA guarantees candidates just €283 a week and requires them to be available as if they were full-time employees.

Pat Jordan, 62, from Clondalkin, Co Dublin, who was offered the job in January, said he was forced to turn it down after learning of the conditions.

Mr Jordan retired from Irish prison service two years ago when he turned 60 and has extensive experience in the security field.

“I was offered a job but it was only 20 hours a week but you had to be available up to 40 hours a week if they needed you,” he said Irish Independent.

“The hourly wage was 14.14 euros and the guaranteed weekly income was 283 euros per week.

“Who would take that? I have a mortgage to pay. I went back and explained that I have a full time job and asked if they could offer me a full time contract. With this pay, I would have gladly taken on the position full-time.”

Mr. Jordan was told they could not offer him a full-time position, so he turned down the offer. He said he doesn’t quite understand what it means to be available 40 hours a week while working 20.

“I don’t know. Do they need your short-term one-call availability? I’d like to know, but I never asked the question,” he said.

He said the security officer’s role is important. “She bears a great deal of responsibility. You must have a head on your shoulders. You are responsible for the safety and security of those boarding the aircraft and we are in the post-9/11 world. There’s a high level of Garda clearance,” he said.

“They say they’re trying their best to hire staff, but that’s not the case. They only want employees on their terms.”

Mr Jordan said he had been offered a higher-paying job at a bookstore. “The bookstore cost 14.50 euros an hour, which is more than airport security,” he said.

Airport departure security wait times have spiked in recent days as the DAA admits it is struggling to staff security.

In some cases, passengers have missed flights in recent days.

Ryanair this week advised passengers to arrive three and a half hours before their flight departure due to delays.

And yesterday the airport announced it was suspending the sale of Fast Track Passes, which allow passengers to bypass security.

The DAA has warned that queues are likely to continue “in the coming weeks”.

Micheál Martin yesterday said Transport Secretary Eamon Ryan would work with Dublin Airport over the long delays passengers are facing

the Taoiseach said there were “real challenges” in filling key sectors of the economy and said the government would “do everything we can”.

The DAA has attributed the long delays to a surge in passenger numbers and the loss of 1,000 security staff to layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, it said it was taking immediate action to resolve the situation, including hiring new staff.

Consulting firm CPL, which is acting as a recruiter for the job, declined to comment yesterday.

A statement from the DAA said the current offer for an Airport Security Unit (ASU) officer role is guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours, but requires candidates to be available 24 hours a day for 40 hours.

“In reality, most candidate countries tend to work more than the guaranteed 20 hours,” it said.

“We are also now considering a seasonal hiring where candidates are guaranteed the minimum of 20 hours and need to be flexible across shift patterns but not necessarily work the full 40 hours.

“This option is more suitable for those who only want to work part-time.”

The DAA said at the moment that anyone hired on a permanent basis “needs to be flexible over the 20 to 40 hours and manage the various peaks and troughs in demand” associated with air travel.