Fresh negotiations commenced on Tuesday morning between Aer Lingus and its pilots, the objective of which is to secure an agreement on pay that would redress the impending strike action. Aer Lingus pilots are currently voting on industrial action as a result of a disagreement with the airline, this could lead to a strike possibly in late June or early July, potentially affecting those planning holidays.
A voting process was initiated by the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) amongst members in the airline the previous week and it is expected to finalise on Wednesday. Both sides foresee that the Ialpa members will support the union’s call for industrial action.
Ialpa endorses its pilots to vote in favour of an industrial action, this includes the possibility of a strike. The disagreement is causing unrest amongst Irish holidaymakers and foreign tourists: annually, during the summer months, Aer Lingus operates flights for millions of passengers between Ireland, Europe and North America.
If the pilots support the industrial action, they may decide to perform an initial day-long strike by the end of June or start of July. Prior to this, pilots may adopt a work to rule policy, which consists of strictly adhering to their contracts, limiting the airline’s flexibility during a time of maximum stress on its resources, resulting in possible flight delays or cancellations.
Based on the union’s policy, they are required to provide the company with seven days’ notice prior to any form of industrial action. Nevertheless, if an agreement is reached between both parties on Tuesday, there should not be a strike even if union members vote in favour of it.
Previously, Ialpa President, Captain Mark Tighe, claimed that the offers made to pilots thus far haven’t reflected the airline’s substantial profits of last year which amounted to €225 million. The president of Ialpa, Capt Tighe stated that “Ialpa is seeking a pay rise of 23.8 per cent over a span of three years, which is a sensible demand for a prosperous company such as Aer Lingus.” He noted that the pilots had accepted major reductions to their pay and working conditions during the pandemic.
Aer Lingus labelled the voting process as unwarranted and cautioned that it would interfere with passengers and other employees. “The Labour Court presented a temporary recommendation which was taken up by Aer Lingus and demonstrated a definite plan of action for ongoing negotiations on pilot pay aiming to resolve it,” the airline explained.
Aer Lingus has contradicted Ialpa’s demand for an effective pay increase of 27 per cent, instead suggesting a wage tribunal proposal amounting to an increment of 12.25 per cent over three years, coupled with a bonus of 1.5 per cent that other employees have consented to. The airline has refuted Ialpa’s assertion that pilot wages have been stagnant since 2019. It stated that there have been annual increases and declared that its pilots are already well remunerated.