Aer Lingus (AERL) is set to open talks with pilots’ representatives at the Labour Court in Ireland on Tuesday. This meeting comes as they attempt to avoid the industrial action planned by pilots as part of the ongoing pay dispute.
Aer Lingus Tries to Stave Off Damaging Industrial Action
AERL has already been forced to cancel over 200 flights, which led to disruption for more than 35,000 passengers, as the dispute ramps up.
The Irish airline’ pilots taking the action are part of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA). They’re looking for their pay to be increased by 24% to take into account the rate of inflation since the last increase they received, in 2019. AERL has suggested that it could offer increases as high as 12.5% on the basis of flexibility and productivity being improved.
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The pilots plan a period of work-to-rule in the period from Wednesday to Sunday, as well as an eight-hour strike to take place on Saturday. However, both AERL and the IALPA said that the recent moves to meet are a positive sign following increasing tension between them as the dispute has threatened to spiral further out of control.
When asked about the situation, Ireland’s deputy premier Micheal Martin said that it’s “shocking the degree to which the needs of those who travel are, in my view, being ignored in the context of this dispute”. He went on to say that getting around the table to negotiate is the only way to settle this dispute, mentioning the country’s Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) among the options.
