The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association will immediately end the ongoing go-slow strike.

• Aer Lingus pilots suspend industrial action – but no change in cancelled flights
• The airline said the labour dispute had caused “both financial and reputational damage”.
• The pilots had originally demanded a salary increase of 24 percent, which they said corresponds to the rate of inflation since the last salary increase in 2019.

Aer Lingus pilots are expected to vote next Friday on whether to accept the 17.75 percent pay rise recommended by the Employment Tribunal, the chairman of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) said.

The Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA) has ultimately agreed to a salary recommendation made by the Labour Court.

The pilots’ union announces that it will “immediately suspend the work-to-rule measures that have been in place since June 26 until the outcome of a vote is available.”

The vote on the offer will take place between July 18 and 23, and the union plans to hold talks with members before then. The recommendation includes a 17.75% pay increase for pilots over a period of more than three years.

Captain Mark Tighe, President of the Unionsaid the result was a “significant victory” secured “by the determination and unity” of its members.

In conversation with the national broadcaster RTÉ, Tighe Continuation:

“It’s not quite the inflation we discussed, but in two years, pilots will be 19.2 percent better off than before, which is already going some way towards inflation.”

Tighe clarified that no changes to working conditions were agreed upon as part of the agreement.

IALPAThe acceptance of the offer by Aer Lingus was welcomed by Aer Lingus, as well as by Ireland’s Taoiseach Simon Harris.

“I very much welcome IALPA’s decision to suspend its industrial action and recommend the adoption of the Labour Court’s proposal,” he said.

“This is a very positive development for travellers and our tourism sector. I have repeatedly stressed that compromise and commitment are the only way forward,” said Mr Harris.

Strikes instigated by IALPA, which included a ban on overtime, have led to the cancellation of 573 flights since the measures began two weeks ago.

Of this total, 25 flight cancellations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday next week may not be reversible.

The pilots had originally demanded a pay rise of 23.8 percent to offset the impact of inflation on their salaries. Aer Lingus had previously described this demand as “unsustainable.”

Aer Lingus has now welcomed the pilots’ move to end the go-slow strike that has been in place since 26 June, but confirmed that all announced cancellations would go ahead as planned.

The union is expected to hold further talks with its members next week before voting on the terms of the Labour Court’s recommendation.

Picture: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

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