Aer Lingus pilots suspend industrial action with new collective agreement

(Reuters) – Aer Lingus’ pilots’ union has called off industrial action and recommended its members accept a pay proposal, the union said on Wednesday, ending a dispute that had led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

“The pilots’ association will immediately suspend the service in place since June 26, as per regulations, pending the outcome of a vote,” said an emailed statement from the Irish Air Lines Pilots’ Association (IALPA).

In Bdienst, a form of industrial action, employees carry out their duties strictly according to the wording of their employment contract without taking on any additional tasks.

The pilots began their industrial action on June 26, demanding a 24% pay increase to compensate for several years of inflation and cuts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aer Lingus, part of the IAG airline group, said on Monday that the company would accept the employment tribunal’s recommendation for a 17.75 percent pay rise for pilots over the four years to the end of 2026.

“Aer Lingus welcomes Forsa/IALPA’s recommendation to accept the Employment Tribunal’s recommendation and their decision to discontinue industrial action,” the airline said in a statement.

(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru, editing by Leslie Adler)