The likelihood for significant disruption to Aer Lingus flights in the coming weeks is growing, following a vote by pilots in favour of industrial action surrounding a dispute over their wages. A vote held on Wednesday saw 98% of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) vote in favour of industrial action, which may include striking, in order to support their demand for a 23.8% pay rise over three-and-a-half years. Ialpa reported a large turnout of 98%.
Dialogue between Aer Lingus and the union is ongoing, with no decision made so far regarding the potential industrial action if a resolution is not reach. Ialpa President, Mark Tighe, voiced his hope that management at the airline would “see reason”. Mr Tighe argued that the result of the vote is a demonstration of pilot’s determination to gain what they believe to be a fair proportion of Aer Lingus’ substantial profits.
Mr Tighe also highlighted how the pay rates at Aer Lingus have not risen at the same rate as the likes of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa in recent years. Should strike action be initiated, a seven days’ notice would be necessary, which could result in significant disruption for customers during the busy summer holidays.
Aer Lingus’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Donal Moriarty, has voiced his unsurprise at the vote result, noting that Ialpa had advised its members to vote in favour of action. He expressed hope that ongoing discussions would result in a solution. However, he also noted that meaningful progress hadn’t been achieved in the negotiations to date.
The pay increases pilots are asking for are described by Mr Moriarty as “excessive and frankly unsustainable”, which would add between €40 million and €50 million to the company’s costs. He warned that a strike by Ialpa would inevitably result in significant disruption due to flight cancellations.
The Labour Court has recently put forward a provisional suggestion to have an augmentation of 9.25 % in salary for approximately 800 pilots of the company, while the subject of a crewing provision, resulting in pilots enjoying enhanced summer leave flexibility, has been put on hold. The court proposed that the associated expense could be managed in forthcoming agreements and that further discussions on a more comprehensive deal should be held at the Workplace Relations Commission.
While the company approved of the court’s guidance, the union did not, stating that the pilots hadn’t received a pay uplift since 2019 – a claim that the company contests. The union has pointed out that extreme sacrifices were made by the pilots to assist the firm amidst the pandemic and that Central Statistics Office data indicates average salary augmentations across all sectors over the past five years has been 24 percent.
The remuneration for the airline’s pilots is thought to rank superior to their counterparts at Ryanair, with salaries starting at €60,000 for some new incumbents and going up to €167,500 for captains with two decades of experience. These base salaries are substantially augmented by allowances and additional payouts. Mr Moriarty has pointed out that, if the claim gets the green light, it would add an additional €50,000 annually to the remuneration of the most senior pilots of the firm.