5th Sep 2018 16:26
LONDON (Alliance News) - An Irish pilots union voted to accept an agreement with budget airline Ryanair Holdings PLC on Wednesday, potentially ending a long-running labour dispute that resulted in several strikes this summer.
The Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) said its members voted unanimously to accept the deal, which follows mediated negotiations between the two sides last month.
The pilots had objected to Ryanair's plans to change seniority rules and were unhappy with its procedures for annual leave, transfers, and promotions.
The union said the deal could be "the first step towards providing transparency and fairness for Ryanair pilots while also assisting Ryanair in recruiting and retaining pilots in the future."
"While our members fully respect Ryanair's operational model, they no longer accept the company's highly problematic employment model," IALPA spokesman Joe May said.
The union accused Ryanair of attempted "union busting" in July after the airline warned that it could cut 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew from its staff in Ireland as it reduces its Dublin-based fleet from 30 to 24 aircraft over the winter.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ryanair welcomed the union's vote and said it would ask the company's board to "reconsider their decision to re-base six aircraft away from Dublin this winter."
Strikes by Ryanair pilots across Europe have resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights this summer.
Italy, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are among the other countries where Ryanair pilots and cabin staff have taken strike action.
Related Shares:
RYA.L