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Aer Lingus pilots march around Dublin Airport as they began their eight-hour strike on Saturday. Alamy Stock Photo

Labour Court to formally intervene in Aer Lingus pilot pay dispute

The court has asked that there be no escalation in the pilots’ industrial action.

THE LABOUR COURT has said it will officially intervene in the ongoing dispute between Aer Lingus and its pilots following an eight-hour meeting with the two sides yesterday.

The court has asked that there be no escalation in the pilots’ industrial action as their work-to-rule industrial action remains in place.

The pilots, represented by the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA), are in the midst of industrial action after negotiations over a pay increase with Aer Lingus reached an impasse. 

The airline has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights as a result of strikes and work-to-rule action by the pilots. 

The court has said it will exercise its right to intervene under the Industrial Relations Act, RTÉ reported at the conclusion of the talks last night.

The court has requested final written submissions from the parties by the end of business today.

IALPA president Mark Tighe told RTÉ last night that Aer Lingus had refused to budge on pay and that it also brought forward new demands that the court had not seen before, which he said had prompted the court to hold “a formal investigation” tomorrow.

The pilots have asked for a pay rise of 24%, in line with inflation since 2019, while the airline has stuck to its offer of 12.5%.

Aer Lingus’s chief corporate affairs officer Donal Moriarty said after the meeting last night that the airline had been open to reaching a solution “using all avenues available to it”. 

“We outlined those details to the court and the court determined that a formal hearing is the best next step to take,” he said.

Each side has blamed the other for prolonging the standoff that has led to almost 400 flights being cancelled and disrupted tens of thousands of passengers’ travel plans.

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    Mute reg morrisey
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 8:49 AM

    What is the difference between a jet engine and a pilot?

    The jet engine stops whining when the plane shuts down.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 10:25 AM

    Aer Lingus CEOs are making millions per annum, even through covid the top 3 in the company were splitting some €4million between them while on base salaries way over what these folks are looking for. Take what you can get Pilots!!!

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    Mute Unridden Ana
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 12:11 PM

    I don’t know about you but if I’m getting into a metal tube to fly at 1000km/h, 6 miles above terra firma, I want to know that the guy at the pointy end is well rested, stress free and happy in his job and is ready and willing to save us all if the grim reeper comes knocking!! Pay them what they want!

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 9:25 AM

    Pilot’s favourite song, gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down (even if I’m being unreasonable).

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 9:09 AM

    Big lazy bozo pilots ruined everyone’s holidays.

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 10:47 AM

    Are people getting reimbursed of their ruined holiday with all the costs included ? If not sue them ! Ruin their paradise, go after them, make them think twice before they do it again !

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    Mute sean weir
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 12:06 PM

    @Dominic Leleu: first world problems

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 4:40 PM

    @Dominic Leleu: The blame here falls squarely with the pilots.

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    Mute KB
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 4:49 PM

    @Pat Barry: LOL

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    Mute KB
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 7:55 PM

    €269,000 Euro share bonus received by invisible ‘CEO’ Lynn Embleton last week. All while she watched her understaffed operation cause flight cancellations and untold misery for the travelling public. What working conditions did she sacrifice in order to get this? She can’t say she increased her productivity anyway!

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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 8:19 PM

    @KB: Understaffed? The reason for the cancellations is the action by the pilots.

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    Jul 2nd 2024, 9:06 PM

    @KB: 2022 Aer Lingus staff = 4,291/ passengers carried 9.02M
    2022 Iberia staff = 15,499/ passengers carried 88.4M

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    Mute KB
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    Jul 2nd 2024, 9:58 PM

    @Pat Barry: they don’t have 4,291 pilots. They are understaffed and that is why the work to rule led to so many cancellations.

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    Jul 2nd 2024, 10:26 PM

    @KB: That’s total employees, how can Iberia carry 10 times the amount of passengers with over 3 times the staff, they must be seriously understaffed.

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