Aer Lingus and pilots await Labour Court recommendation

Aer Lingus management and the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) are awaiting a Labour Court recommendation aimed at resolving their ongoing pay dispute.

Industrial action by pilots has so far led to the cancellation of 548 flights up until Sunday 14 July.

A Labour Court hearing on the dispute was held on Wednesday and both sides were told at the time that a recommendation would be issued in the coming days.

The decision will not be binding and it will be put to a ballot of IALPA members once it has been issued.

Representatives from Aer Lingus and IALPA attended the Labour Court hearing at which they presented their cases and answered questions from the court.

Last Monday, the court met with the two sides for more than eight hours before informing the parties that it would exercise its right to intervene in the dispute under the Industrial Relations Act.

The Labour Court asked that there be no escalation of the dispute, but an indefinite work-to-rule by IALPA members is remaining in place.

On Saturday 29 June, pilots took part in an eight-hour strike.

IALPA is seeking a pay rise of up to 24% to take account of inflation since their last wage increase in 2019.

However, Aer Lingus is seeking agreement on productivity and flexibility in return for any pay increases that go beyond the 12.25% agreed with other groups of workers at the company.

IALPA has warned that it will consider escalating its industrial action if no agreement is reached.