The danger of industrial action has "receded for the present".
Ryanair pilots in Ireland represented by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) and IMPACT will not take industrial action against the airline after confirmation of a “historic agreement” on Thursday afternoon.
On Tuesday, IMPACT
expressed their disappointment at a lack of official Ryanair recognition of trade unions despite the airline having publicly committed to doing so and issued an ultimatum that included the threat of strike action if Ryanair did not agree to proposals by noon today (Thursday).
IMPACT subsequently
released a statement on Thursday to confirm Ryanair’s recognition of IMPACT as the representative of the airline’s pilots for collective bargaining purposes, with immediate effect.
IMPACT has accepted an invitation from Ryanair management to meet on 3 January “to agree a comprehensive recognition agreement that will establish collective bargaining procedures in the airline”.
While IMPACT acknowledged that “the danger of industrial action had receded for the present”, the union cautioned that it expected management to reach agreement on procedures quickly so that the parties could move on to negotiate substantial issues around pilots’ pay and working conditions.
Commenting on the official recognition of the union by Ryanair, IMPACT official Ashley Connolly described it as a “historic achievement” that would resonate beyond the company.
“This advance is good news for Ryanair pilots, passengers and shareholders,” Connolly said.
“We also think it will assist thousands of workers elsewhere, who want independent workplace representation but whose anti-union employers had been encouraged and emboldened by Ryanair’s previous antipathy towards IMPACT and other unions.
“This breakthrough, which was made possible by the principled resolve of Ryanair pilots, should be an encouragement to workers across the economy. IMPACT will now immediately start work to make union recognition in Ryanair a practical reality by working with management to establish a formal collective bargaining agreement, and then by using this opportunity to win improved security, terms, and working conditions for the airline’s pilots.”
