Pilots with Aer Lingus are threatening strike action ahead of the Christmas travel rush in pursuit of higher pay, a bonus for millennium working and extra leave. They are members of IMPACT and a strike ballot, due to conclude tomorrow, is expected to be in favour of industrial action.
Last night the head of corporate affairs at Aer Lingus, Mr Dan Loughrey, expressed surprise at the ballot because no claim has yet been presented to the company. The pilots say they are earning considerably less than their counterparts in British Airways and American Airlines, which are the strategic partners of Aer Lingus in the One World Alliance. Aer Lingus pilots earn about £85,000 at the top of the scale, compared with £130,000 in British Airways and £160,000 in American Airlines.
Pilots have their own pay review which is conducted on Mr Gerard Durkan SC, who is also the public service pay arbitrator. They believe their increase of between 4 and 5 per cent earlier this year compares badly with the sort of awards given to public service workers.
On the issue of pay parity with other pilots, Mr Loughrey said that when pilots actively campaigned for the alliance they never mentioned pay. Relations between pilots and company management have not been good for some time. The timing of the ballot means the strike threat is coming during one of the airline's busiest periods.