Pilots’ union suspends industrial action as it recommends collective bargaining – Homepage

By Cillian Sherlock and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Aer Lingus pilots will be asked to vote on a 17.75 percent pay rise following a recommendation from their representative body.

The airline had previously cancelled hundreds of flights as a result of service operations that began at the end of June.

The amount of 17.75 percent was recommended by the Employment Tribunal after consultation with Aer Lingus and the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (Ialpa).

The IALPA leadership requested clarification from the Labour Court on this non-binding recommendation and, after examining the terms, recommended that its members accept it.

The pilot committee will immediately suspend the work-to-rule policy that has been in place since June 26 until the outcome of a vote is available.

The union will hold a series of meetings with its members ahead of a vote on the terms of the Labour Court’s recommendation next week.

IALPA President Mark Tighe called the salary increase proposed in the recommendation a significant victory for pilots.

Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed the developments.

In a statement, he said: “I welcome IALPA’s decision to suspend industrial action and recommend that the Labour Court’s proposal be accepted.”

“This is a very positive development for the travelling public and our tourism sector.

“I have repeatedly stressed that compromise and commitment are the only way forward.”

Aer Lingus welcomed Ialpa’s recommendation to its members to accept the deal and the decision to stop industrial action.

It said: “We look forward to Ialpa completing the voting process as quickly as possible.”

Aer Lingus had previously cancelled 25 more flights for next Monday and Tuesday and announced that it would contact the affected customers.

It was also said that further cancellations would be announced on Thursday.

In the two weeks since the industrial action began, hundreds of flights have been cancelled, disrupting the plans of thousands of holidaymakers.

Aer Lingus said that those affected by flight cancellations would be given the opportunity to rebook their flight free of charge or request a refund or voucher.

Customers can check affected flights on Aer Lingus’ travel advice page.

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.

They had previously rejected a labor court’s recommendation for a 9 percent wage increase, but Ialpa had indicated that the union would consider a wage increase of less than 24 percent.