Ryanair's UK pilots make move toward possible strike

Ryanair is starting to see the damage from the labour strife that’s disrupted flights across Europe at the height of summer, just as the dispute threatens to extend to Britain, the carrier’s biggest market. Thursday, UK pilots triggered a so-called failure-to-agree mechanism, indicating that contract talks have reached an impasse. The move limits the span of negotiations and may lead to a strike ballot, the union confirmed. “We always aim to reach agreements with airlines without entering a formal dispute process or balloting for industrial action,” Terry Brandon, national officer for the British Airline Pilots Association, said, adding that talks are stalled on issues including pay and Ryanair’s use of contractors. A Ryanair spokeswoman said it would meet with Balpa again Thursday to continue negotiations toward a collective labour agreement. <br/>