A disagreement between Aer Lingus and its pilots’ union, the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), has further strained their relationship due to a dispute over sick leave as contested industrial proceedings draw closer. Ialpa members are set to cease all flexible working from Wednesday morning. The airline has forewarned this could mean unavoidable disruption for holiday travellers, as the pilots are seeking a 24% salary increase.
Ialpa recently stated that some pilots are receiving intimidating letters from the airline’s human resources department concerning sickness. According to the union, letters informed pilots that they could lose their sick pay if they failed to attend assessments.
Ialpa contends against any assertion by Aer Lingus that pilots use sickness to unofficially start industrial action. Earlier this week, Aer Lingus announced it had cancelled 56 flights since January due to an elevated number of pilots falling ill, which impacted on out-of-hours working.
The airline revealed on Thursday that it had sent a letter to Ialpa citing “a remarkable surge in short-notice pilot illness in recent weeks”, impeding operations. The airline is awaiting an explanation from the union; however, it hasn’t commented on the individual letters sent.
A spokesperson for Fórsa, the main union representing Ialpa, ruled out any notion this week that the pilots were undertaking unofficial action. The spokesperson clarified that Ialpa, the group questioned the union’s digital voting methods during the initial voting, had lately balloted members a second time regarding industrial action.
This disagreement over sick leave is exacerbating the feud between the two parties, with both appearing more entrenched as the industrial action deadline approaches. Ialpa asserts that the pay rise the pilots are seeking is merely to offset living costs, while the company labels the requested increase as “untenable and excessive”.
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