Aer Lingus pilots plan to strike next Tuesday and Wednesday, threatening to ground the airline’s fleet in a dispute over pay and conditions on planned new routes from Belfast.
The carrier announced a switch of its shuttle services between Shannon and Heathrow to Belfast International earlier this month. The 480 flight crew believe the contracts on offer to work from Belfast amount to a pay cut.
Irish pilots’ union Impact said in statement: “The airline proposes to employ pilots at Belfast on pay, terms and conditions of employment less favourable than at the Aer Lingus base in Dublin.”
The action is supported by Irish pilots’ union IALPA and by Northern Ireland union Unite, whose regional secretary Jimmy Kelly warned: “We will not allow any employer to impose second-class terms and conditions on workers at Belfast International.”
Aer Lingus is under pressure from businesses in the southwest of Ireland to reprieve the Shannon services.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary waded in by demanding Aer Lingus call an extraordinary general meeting and said he would oppose the move. Ryanair owns 25% of Aer Lingus after mounting a takeover bid late last year.
Aer Lingus said it was preparing contingency plans, but warned passengers were likely to face severe disruption.
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