Aer Lingus pilots’ pay row due back at Labour Court as union weighs more strikes

Both sides in the Aer Lingus pay row are due back at the Labour Court this afternoon as the dispute that has upended more than 60,000 people’s travel plans reaches a critical point.

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), part of trade union Fórsa, halted work for eight hours on Saturday and are continuing a work to rule at the carrier.

The Labour Court invited both sides to Monday’s meeting as Ialpa weighs further strikes following the failure of talks to resolve the row the previous day.

They will meet there on Monday afternoon. Both said they hoped what will be the court’s third attempt at brokering a resolution would succeed.

Capt Mark Tighe, Ialpa president, warned over the weekend that increased industrial action was on the table if the Labour Court talks fail.

Saturday’s strike hit an estimated 17,000 passengers, whose flights Aer Lingus cancelled ahead of the stoppage.

The airline has cancelled 392 flights through to this Sunday to “preserve as many services as possible” during the pilots’ industrial action, hitting between 60,000 and 70,000 people’s travel plans.

Pilots are seeking pay rises of 20 per cent-plus to compensate for inflation over the last four years, saying this is just €5 million a-year more than what the company has offered.

Aer Lingus says it cannot give pilots increases greater than the 12.25 per cent agreed with cabin and ground crews without more productivity.

Ialpa rejected an offer worth 12.25 per cent, discounted to 8.5 per cent to pay for flexible summer leave, in January.

Subsequent talks at the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court failed to broker a deal.

Ialpa members halted work between 5am and 1pm on Saturday, when around 500 of them marched and picketed at Dublin Airport.

Capt Tighe warned afterwards that Aer Lingus and the Labour Court had to recognise that the union’s pay claim was reasonable.