Aer Lingus crew member loses sexism claim after saying uniform keeps 'trolley ... trends now
An Aer Lingus cabin service manager claimed that the airline's new uniform perpetuates the 'trolley-dolly' image of female cabin crew. Pictured: cabin crew model the uniform at its 2020 launch
An Aer Lingus cabin service manager who claims that the airline's new uniform perpetuates the 'trolley-dolly' image of female cabin crew has failed in her discrimination claim.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, Elizabeth Barry, a long-serving employee with the airline, claimed that the sexualisation of the female Aer Lingus uniform 'is inappropriate and degrading in a professional environment'.
Ms Barry claimed that she was degraded in her professional duties as the new uniform 'portrays an outdated and sexualised image of women'.
However, Aer Lingus rejected Ms Barry's discrimination claim and defended the new uniform, which was introduced in February 2020 and was designed by one of Ireland's best-known designers, Louise Kennedy.
In his findings, Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) adjudicator Jim Dolan found that Ms Barry was not discriminated against on gender grounds over the uniform and that her complaint was not well-founded.
As part of her claim, Ms Barry claimed that the shirt or blouse worn by female cabin crew is designed with three holes above the left breast area.
Ms Barry stated that this exposes skin just above the left breast and 'it is humiliating and demeaning for Aer Lingus to enforce an appearance code that reinforces sexist and sexual stereotypes of lack of seriousness and ineffectuality in a workplace that is equally physically demanding of men and women'.
Ms Barry also contended that the less practical appearance and functions of the women's uniform 'are unnecessarily uncomfortable, impractical and places them in a subordinate position to their male counterparts who then appear more capable and professional than female cabin crew'.
Ms Barry was represented by barrister Leanora Frawley, who said female crew must wear high heels when in uniform and outside the aircraft, unless they have a medical exemption letter. It was argued that 'there is a strong association between high heels and female sexuality'.
