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AN IRISH INDUSTRIAL relations expert has said that Aer Lingus will have to be “very careful” in offering a settlement to pilots in their pay dispute, as agreeing to a big pay deal while under pressure could see other staff taking action, and cause complications for multi-airline owners IAG.
Liam Doherty, an industrial relations consultant with a PhD in conflict management and dispute resolution, said that other airlines that have agreed to hefty pay increases when under intense pressure due to industrial action have gone on to experience further strikes from ground staff and cabin crew, including Lufthansa in recent years.
Doherty explained that as part of their work to rule – which is a form of industrial action that trade unions have been undertaking for decades – pilots will not work overtime, answer calls outside of working hours, rejecting changes to their rosters, and not undertaking other “discretionary” work activities that are not clearly set out as part of their contract.
“It basically means they will work to the rules of their contract, and will do no more than that. It is a limited form of industrial action designed to minimise the cost to the employee, while maximising the disruption caused to the employer,” he said.
Aer Lingus pilots who are members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association (the IALPA, a division of Fórsa) are commencing work to rule action next Wednesday, indefinitely.
They are asking for a 24% increase in pay, which the union says is in line with the rate of inflation since 2019. It has also noted that Aer Lingus has increased their profits by 400% to €255m last year.
Aer Lingus offered a pay increase of 9.5% last month, which was rejected.
The airline has said that the coming industrial action will result in disruption to its customers and employees. It also added that it has requested further services from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which the IALPA also rejected.
Doherty said that as this dispute has dragged on for two years, and has been through an internal tribunal, the WRC, and the Labour Court, it is hard to see how the solution will come about, but it’s likely that a resolution will be reached in the coming weeks and all out strike action will be avoided.
Aer Lingus will be looking at all its options right now, including contracting in planes with different crews manned by other organisations – an option that might not even be open to it.
“There is one option here for the airline, where it says that it cannot accept this level of uncertainty, and it decides to shut up shop in the short term if it decides that operating through the work to rule isn’t possible – that’s highly unlikely in this context, because thousands of customers would be impacted,” Doherty said.
Doherty explained that “informal contact” between the teams will be being made right now and in the coming days, but that this is not a case of “big personalities” facing off with each other – as was the case with Ryanair owner Michael O’Leary and IALPA former president Evan Cullen – or a Government Minister making a dramatic intervention.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald today called on Ministers Peter Burke and Eamon Ryan to get involved and intervene to ensure a resolution is reached in the next seven days.
“A minister will not be getting involved in this, it is a private sector pay dispute, albeit one with a big public impact. Though Aer Lingus and the IALPA would not say no to a meeting, it won’t be what moves the dial,” Doherty predicted.
“These aren’t the Bertie Ahern days, he was a [Minister for Labour] who would get involved in these kinds of disputes.
“This is about the IALPA pursuing a pay deal they have sought for the last 22 months. Unfortunately as we are coming into the holiday season, the timing could not be worse for the airline,” Doherty said.
The industrial relations expert added that the union needs to make sure it does not end up “overreaching”.
“Right now, with no picket line, it’s hard for anyone to blame the pilots. Work to rule is the first line of action, and it can be added to with limited days of action, to turn up the pressure on Aer Lingus, but pilots, though well-paid, have bills to pay, and they aren’t voting with their feet and going to other airlines at this stage – so this needs to be finely balanced,” Doherty said.
Ultimately, the next steps will depend on Aer Lingus making a “judgement call”, he added.
Whether that will be to offer a better pay deal, or to endure the work to rule action, there will be consequences for the airline.
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How about debating medical card holders not pension holders paying 10 euro per doctor visit. When your paying 55 quid per visit and you can’t see a doctor for 3 days because he’s booked solid with medical card holders with colds and aches blocking up the system.
If they were charged they wot be visiting until they need to like the rest of us.
@Funfair: that’s a question for the government to answer not a trade union conference
@Boganity: why is a trade union conference debating our drink driving laws then ?
@Funfair: because doctors are reminicing the old irish local junta system. The doctor, the priest and the garda seargent that kept all the peasants in their place. They still have the ear of government and think by virtue of a few years in trinity they should set policy. Drink driving needs to be tackled, but we have a government getting paid to do that.
@Funfair: it’s not pension card holder or medical card holder blocking up the waiting room..but women with there kids .kids with nothing wrong with them..except for a cough or runny nose..
@mad_fluffy: which are mostly medical card holders …
Why make these laws & then debate them, drink driving should be a ban at all times. People know the law & some people are willing to drink & drive. If they take the chance they should be prepared to take the punishment!
@Liam John Bradshaw: and what’s it got to do with doctors or their trade union conference
@Boganity: they brought it up
All EU countries ban drink drivers – and we should be no different.
Being tired behind the wheel is even worse than having one drink ,twelve hour night shifts ,!
@Gerard Heery: has this scientific finding of yours been peer reviewed ?
@Boganity: poking figurative holes in someone’s argument would be best backed up by an informed rebuttal of your own, Bog…
@Gerard Heery: as someone who works 12hr night shifts I completely agree..i put it in the same bracket as having about 6-7 drinks
@Boganity: it happens all the time but theres no prove ,only to say must of being speeding at three in the morning.
@Boganity: ok I will say in the early Ninetys worked shift and left work completely knackered after 12 hours as did other workers on the shift I’ll leave at that,
Ross should put more effort into enforcing the laws already in place. I’m all for zero tolerance, but what’s the point in this legislation when the guards don’t enforce the current laws with any real regularity (not in rural areas anyway). Not to detract from the issue of rural isolation (not that it’s any excuse for drink driving) but Ross needs to look outside the pale and sort out some decent rural transport links. But, knowing him, that’s probably outside his remit…
@Kian: one death saved is enough to justify the ban, 35 that’s a no brainer
@Boganity: it Is, but he’d save even more lives with better enforcement
@Boganity: the roads are busier than ever a road fatality is enviable.. nothing can avoid that
As the journal fact find article pointed out it uncertain whether the ‘lives saved’ would ever result in any of this kind of action. We have to remember we are addressing issues so infintesmally small in quantity we couldn’t't legislate to eradicate. Fatal outcomes represent 0.0000007% of road activity. Maybe concentrating on mental health issues would have greater effect on society. But sure the corporate which is the RSA, can’t get revenue from that.
@Martin Critten: so what’s an acceptable number of deaths from driving over the limit ?
When did doctors become law makers!
There should be breathalyser kits in each car. So drivers can test themselves before they drive. So no excuses.
If you fail both blood and urine tests then obviously drink drivers should be band. End of story, otherwise why bother testing in first place.
Like to remind Mr Ross and his supporters that text driving has been proven to be more dangerous than drink driving. So why not give them an auto ban? Or what about banning all drivers for distractive driving?
What’s to debate? Automatic ban is a good strategy. Revisit impact in five years to renew or abandon.
Funny thing about all these new laws ,if Kim Un Jong sets off a nuke these laws won’t mean a thing they’ll be alot more worrying issues come to mind like we’re did I put my 1995 iodine tablet.
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