If ongoing discussions at the Labour Court on Monday between Aer Lingus and the union representing its pilots fail to make headway, an intensification of industrial actions is a very likely outcome, declared the president of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa).
Both parties will reconvene at the court on Monday afternoon in an attempt to break the stalemate over the contentious pay disagreement within the airline.
Five consecutive days of industrial actions were previously carried out by pilots under representation by Ialpa, a segment of the Fórsa trade union. This included an eight-hour strike on Saturday that led to an additional 120 flights being cancelled by Aer Lingus. Amid the strike, about 500 Aer Lingus pilots picketed in rainy conditions around Dublin Airport.
Both parties agreed late last week to resume discussions at the Labour Court on Monday, following the breakdown of talks earlier last Tuesday.
Talks also fell through on Thursday when the Cpt Mark Tighe, head of the pilots’ association, described an escalation of the disagreement by Aer Lingus, which is owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG).
Over the weekend, there were suggestions that Ialpa had recently reduced its pay demand, but this offer is no longer available due to the fall-through of the previous discussions.
During an appearance on the Anton Savage Show on Newstalk on Sunday, Cpt Tighe refuted claims that the union’s position in the negotiations had been weakened due to the initiation of Saturday’s strike, which lasted from 5 am till 1 pm and disrupted Aer Lingus flights in and out of Ireland, affecting around 17,000 passengers.
In response to the pilots’ ongoing refusal to work, Aer Lingus cancelled another 122 flights scheduled from July 3rd to July 7th on Friday, impacting the travel arrangements of an additional 20,000 passengers.
“The industrial action hasn’t reached its culmination,” he announced. “We have yet to make our boldest move. As career pilots, we’re here for the long haul, for three or four decades. The current CEO is merely one among the many I’ve seen, number 16 or 17 in line. The executive team is transient, but we are steadfast. The pilots have no intention to yield.”
He conveyed that the Labour Court will be provided a chance to wield its expertise on Monday. “However, if the organization fails to agree to what is a fair collective request, the pilots won’t stop their struggle.”
Captain Tighe stated that Fórsa chairman, Kevin Callinan was “likely accurate” with his warning that the breakdown of the new negotiation round could result in “the grimmest repercussions”, including an intensification of industrial action.
“We cannot discount the potential outcomes should the Labour Court intervention not yield a result, but the solution is in the hands of the management,” he added. “It is evident that escalated industrial action is a definite possibility.”
An Aer Lingus representative refrained from commenting before the commencement of the most recent discussions. On the previous Saturday, the airline expressed its anticipation that the dialogue with the Labour Court could “lead to a resolution that will restore normalcy for passengers.”