“Ryanair will not recognise an Aer Lingus pilot union, no matter how often or how long this tiny minority try to disrupt our flights or our customers’ plans during Christmas week.”
Ryanair says that
Irish-based pilots participating in a 24-hour strike later this month “don’t care how much upset they cause colleagues or customers”.
News that a number of pilots directly employed by Ryanair who are members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) would participate in a 24-hour strike on 20 December was
confirmed by the trade union, Impact, on Tuesday.
The pilots backed industrial action by a margin of 94% to 6% in secret ballots conducted over the last week due to Ryanair management’s refusal to enter direct negotiations with the European Employee Representative Council (EERC) or IALPA as the sole independent representative body for pilots working in the company.
While only one day of strike action is proposed so far, a statement from Impact noted that "the union has warned of further strike days if agreement is not reached".
Shortly after news of the strike action was confirmed on Tuesday, Ryanair responded with a statement of their own, stating a belief that the strike “will largely be confined to a small group of pilots who are working their notice and will shortly leave Ryanair, so they don’t care how much upset they cause colleagues or customers”.
The airline said “some disruption” may occur as a result of the strike action and that it will deal with any such disruptions if or when they arise. The airline also apologised sincerely to customers for any upset or worry the threatened action may cause them over the coming days.
You can read the Ryanair statement in full below.
“Ryanair has this afternoon received the attached notice from the Aer Lingus pilots union IALPA of a 24 hour strike “by pilots directly employed by Ryanair” on Wed 20 December 2017.
“Ryanair welcomes this notice which conclusively proves that it is about union recognition for the Aer Lingus pilots union IALPA and not about pay and conditions for Ryanair pilots who in Dublin can earn between €150,000 to €190,000 p.a. for working a 5on/4off roster (a double bank holiday weekend every week), and have been offered a 20% pay increase (at a time when IALPA are recommending a 3% increase to Aer Lingus pilots).
“Ryanair will deal with any such disruptions if, or when they arise, and we apologise sincerely to customers for any upset or worry this threatened action by less than 28% of our Dublin pilots may cause them over the coming days.
“Ryanair is surprised that IALPA has threatened to disrupt Christmas week travel when IALPA’s own numbers confirm that it has the support of less than 28% of Ryanair’s over 300 Dublin pilots and when Ryanair’s Belfast, Cork and Shannon bases have already agreed these 20% pay deals. While some disruption may occur, Ryanair believes this will largely be confined to a small group of pilots who are working their notice and will shortly leave Ryanair, so they don’t care how much upset they cause colleagues or customers.
“Ryanair has already confirmed that any Dublin pilots who participate in this industrial action will be in breach of the Dublin pilots base agreement and they will lose those agreed benefits which arise from dealing directly with Ryanair, including the 5on/4off rosters, certain pay benefits and promotion opportunities until such time as they chose to return to the 25 year established practice of dealing directly with Ryanair.
“Like any group of workers, Ryanair’s very well paid pilots are free to join unions, but like every other multinational, Ryanair is also free - under both Irish & EU law - to decline to engage with (competitor pilot) unions. Ryanair will not recognise an Aer Lingus pilot union, no matter how often or how long this tiny minority (earning between €150,000 to €190,000 p.a.) try to disrupt our flights or our customers’ plans during Christmas week.”
