Aer Lingus and pilot union to meet next Tuesday as strike threat looms

In a letter from the airline to pilots at Dublin and Cork on Friday, Aer Lingus has accused the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) of pursuing a strategy of exerting pressure on the company as the key summer season gets underway.

And the airline has warned pilots that the ballot for industrial action will likely see them make the “most critical vote” of their careers at Aer Lingus.

“It is clear that the IALPA leadership have steadfastly pursued a strategy from the beginning of these pay talks to arrive at this point with a ballot for industrial action with the objective of putting maximum pressure on Aer Lingus to meet their demands at the peak of summer,” the airline’s chief operations officer Adrian Dunne told pilots in a letter.

“IALPA’s failure to engage in a responsible manner in both direct discussions and in the various independent processes, creates a real risk for investment, growth, and jobs in the airline now and into the future,” he added.

Aer Lingus is part of the IAG group that also owns British Airways, Iberia and Vueling.

Captain Mark Tighe, the president of IALPA, has insisted that the pay offers given to pilots so far do not reflect the enormous profitability of Aer Lingus.

“IALPA is seeking a pay increase of 23.8pc over three years which is clearly reasonable and affordable for a profitable company such as Aer Lingus.”

“Any new pay deal needs to account for the loss of real earnings due to inflation and to bring Aer Lingus pilots’ pay up to the rates of competitor airlines,” he added.

“Pilots made huge sacrifices in their pay and working conditions during the pandemic in order to save the company,” said Mr Tighe. “However, management failed to reverse many of these measures.”

The outcome of the pilot ballot is likely to be known next Wednesday. If sanctioned by the nearly 800 pilots at the carrier, just one week’s notice then has to be given for industrial action to take place.

“In voting in favour of strike action, you would be voting to damage the airline, our customers, and other colleagues across the company,” he added.

“A strike would also be damaging in that it will restrict the airline’s scope to resolve the dispute, as the Labour Court recommendation has been rejected,” Mr Dunne said in the letter. “We will also have to take steps to limit the damage being done to the airline, which will impact directly upon pilots, including having to reclaim the accumulated debt associated with the crewing agreement, which is expressly allowed for within that agreement.”

The Labour Court issued an interim recommendation last month that would have seen the pilots receive a 9.25pc pay increase. That proposal was accepted by Aer Lingus but overwhelmingly rejected by pilots.

IALPA has been holding out for a near 24pc pay increase. Aer Lingus has offered 12.25pc, which included 3.75pc to pay for a 2019 crewing agreement that gave pilots additional flexibility in their schedules.

An independent Pilot Pay Tribunal last year recommended a 12.25pc increase in consolidated pay and a 1.5pc rise in unconsolidated pay for the pilots.

“In considering your vote in this ballot, any fears you may have about perceived effects of voting against your union leadership should be allayed,” said Mr Dunne in Friday’s letter.

“Over the years, many of you have been afforded the opportunity to vote on various proposals agreed between the company and your union,” he added. “However, we would suggest that this vote is likely to be the most critical vote you will ever be asked to participate in over the course of your career with Aer Lingus.”