14th Jan 2008 11:27
Ryanair Holdings PLC14 January 2008 IALPA/IMPACT WITHDRAW CLAIMS AGAINST RYANAIR DUBLIN PILOT RECOGNITION CASE COLLAPSES Ryanair today (Monday, 14th January 2008) arrived at the Labour Court for thescheduled hearing, which was ordered by the Supreme Court into IALPA/IMPACT 's 4year old claims on behalf of the Dublin pilots. However IALPA/IMPACT failed toshow, having withdrawn their claims at the last minute, which has collapsed theIALPA/IMPACT case. This case stems from attempts by IALPA/IMPACT to use the Industrial RelationsActs 2001 and 2004 to impose inefficient union practices on high pay, non unioncompanies like Ryanair through the back door of the Labour Court. Ryanair hasalways contended that this legislation does not apply to high pay multinationalcompanies such as Ryanair, and this claim was successful in the Supreme Court.This was why the Supreme Court directed that the case be reheard in front of theLabour Court. The collapse of the IALPA/IMPACT case represents anotherhumiliating defeat for the Aer Lingus pilots union following their loss in theSupreme Court, and their bill for Ryanair's legal costs (estimated at over €1m).Today's climb down by IALPA/IMPACT exposes the false claims in their pressrelease of 1st February last on the day of the Supreme Court ruling. On thatdate IMPACT's Michael Landers claimed: "We see this ruling as no more than a temporary set back". "We look forward to an early rehearing and believe we have a strong case which we will present to the Labour Court in full accordance with the guidelines and principles laid down by the Supreme Court today". The real losers - sadly - in this defeat have been Ryanair's Dublin pilots, whowere misled and misguided by IALPA/IMPACT for the past four years. These pilots,acting on advice from IALPA/IMPACT, withdrew from the internal collectivebargaining system in Ryanair, and as a result they missed out on pay increasesand share options in 2005, 2006 and again in 2007. These pay increases and shareoptions were worth up to €80,000 for each Dublin Captain. Ryanair believes thatits Dublin pilots should strongly consider taking an action for damages againstIALPA/IMPACT for its misleading advice and this humiliating defeat and lastminute withdrawal. As usual Ryanair's pilots have been dumped by an Aer Lingusunion. Speaking this morning on the steps of the Labour Court, Ryanair's Eddie Wilsonsaid: "IALPA/IMPACT have spent over 20 years trying and failing to unionise Ryanair. Their false promises and false claims have cost our Dublin pilots considerable sums of money. Perhaps it is time that the trade unions in Ireland recognised that they have no role to play in high pay multi-national companies like Ryanair, where our sophisticated internal collective bargaining arrangements deliver better pay, faster promotions and better working conditions for our people than those being delivered to union members by our unionised competitors. "We trust that those outlets in the Irish media, who routinely give undue weight to false claims being made by unions, will in future make a better effort to report on these matters in Ryanair with some objectivity and balance. The fact that Mr Landers claimed in February that the Supreme Court ruling was a "temporary set back" and that "he looked forward to an early rehearing at the Labour Court", only to withdraw all of these claims at the eleventh hour, highlights the extent to which the unions mislead and spin on matters relating to Ryanair. "We welcome this latest defeat for IALPA/IMPACT, the Aer Lingus pilot union, which is another victory for Ryanair's people and secures their right to continue to negotiate directly with us for many years into the future. The real lesson in this shambles for Ryanair's Dublin pilots, is that their best interests can only be secured by negotiating directly with the company to improve pay and conditions while ignoring the false claims and misleading advice from IALPA/IMPACT which has yet again cost Ryanair's Dublin pilots many thousands of euro." Ends. Monday, 14th January 2008 For further information please contact: Peter Sherrard Ryanair Pauline McAlester Murray Consultants Tel. +353-1-8121212 Tel. +353-1-4980300 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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