Irish airline CityJet has claimed that the pilots threatening to strike at its London City Airport base represent just a minority of its workforce there.

The Independent Pilots’ Association (IPA), said that members at the base have voted to strike over in a row over pay cuts.

However, the airline said that 14 out of 19 IPA members voted for industrial action, while it has more than 50 pilots based at the airport.

“CityJet condemns this proposed action by a minority of its pilot workforce,” the company said.

“The airline would like to assure passengers planning to travel that all steps are being taken to prevent disruption to service.”

The union accused the company of attacks on conditions that resulted in pilots facing real cuts in their take-home pay.

General secretary Philip Flower added that this followed five years of austerity and frequent changes that the pilots bore to support the company during difficult times.

He argued that despite improving trading conditions and money being made available to parts of the business, pilots continued to be sidelined.

Last resort

“Strike action is always a last resort but in this case management have shown a dogged resistance to a meaningful positive change and an improvement in the terms and conditions of pilots that are necessary if they wish to continue to enjoy their support,” Mr Flower said in a statement.

However, the airline said that it did not cut salaries or activity pay of pilots in London City Airport during the recession.

CityJet suggested that the strike centred on its decision to open an Amsterdam base, which will result in some London pilots losing overnight allowances.

It also rejected claims that it had refused to go arbitration and had offered to go to the UK’s workplace relations body, and was still prepared to do this.

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