Aer Lingus today said it will suspend all pilots refusing to co-operate with its plans for creating its new Belfast hub from next week.
In a letter sent to the pilots, Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion said all pilots must confirm their intent to "engage unreservedly" in work related to the hub by next Monday.
Impact spokesman
The letter says: "If you choose not to confirm your willingness, you can put forward in writing, to be received no later than 1pm on Monday 15 thOctober 2007, reasons why you choose not to do so.
"It is important that you understand that if you fail to confirm your willingness to unreservedly engage in your full range of duties, by 1pm on Monday 15 thOctober 2007 you will be suspended from the payroll from 3am on Tuesday 16 thOctober 2007."
Pilots are refusing to co-operate with the plan because the company intends to pay wages at local rates rather than on the same terms as those based at airports in the Republic.
Four pilots were suspended yesterday for failure to co-operate with recruitment and training for the new Belfast operation and a fifth was suspended today. The pilots had signed up for training and recruitment duties additional to their piloting duties.
While these duties attracted extra pay, the pilots' union advised those members to resign from their training duties and continue piloting.
Mr Mannion's letter says those in receipt of the training allowance are expected to engage in screening, assessment, interviewing and training of job applicants candidates for the Belfast base.
It also says that all pilots are expected to fly with any new recruits and attend any training courses related to the development of the new hub.
Impact insisted today the non-co-operation policy would continue.
"Progress has been made in negotiating those terms, pilots have accepted that pay and conditions at the Belfast base will be different.
"However, further negotiation is necessary in order to bring the matter to a conclusion. Until then, the result of the pilot's ballot remains valid," a spokesman said.
The union described the latest threat in a row which relates to the company's €20-million cost-saving plan as an "act of madness [which] will disrupt passengers, damage the airline's reputation and impact on shareholder value "
"A mass suspension of pilots from the payroll, which will effectively shut the airline down," the spokesmand said.
The airline insisted last night that it would not enter into talks with pilots' representatives unless they lifted the ban in participating in the airline's recruitment process for new staff for the Belfast base.
In the Dáil this morning, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore angrily denounced the Government's failure to maintain an influential presence on the Aer Lingus board of directors.
He also said the Government should have a definite plan for resolving the industrial relations difficulties at the company.
The Labour Relations Commission is understood to have begun contacting the parties in a bid to start negotiations.
The Atlantic Connectivity Alliance (ACA), which is planning to take part in a mass protest against the decision in Limerick later this month, criticised the claim that the Government cannot intervene.
Spokesman Tony Brazil said the decision to move to Belfast "defies commercial logic" because of the level of competition Aer Lingus will face on the route.
"If the Government won't move to honour the commitment it gave last year before Aer Lingus went public that it would protect this strategic service, then it must still act on the grounds that it is obliged to protect its investment in the company, which it holds on behalf of the people of Ireland," Mr Brazil said.