Ryanair Irish pilots back industrial action as unrest spreads

Ryanair’s directly employed pilots in Ireland on Friday voted in favour of industrial action unless pay demands are met swiftly, with Spanish pilots also threatening to join growing unrest at the airline. The airline suffered a number of strikes last year by pilots and cabin crew, forcing it to cancel hundreds of flights and hitting profit after a rocky start to its move to recognise trade unions for the first time. Ryanair managed to quell the disputes by reaching deals with many unions in Europe on pay and allowances, but it has yet to move beyond recognition agreements with others and further angered unions by telling staff 10 days ago that it had 900 more pilots and crew than it needed. Members of Ryanair’s British pilots union voted this week to follow Portuguese cabin crew to the picket line, with two strikes planned from Aug. 22. The action in Ireland was backed by 94% of those who cast a ballot among the 180 eligible pilots. About a quarter of Ryanair’s 350 pilots in its home market staged a series of one-day strikes a year ago before concerns on transfers and promotions were settled, but the Forsa/IALPA trade union said the airline has stalled on talks since pay demands were submitted in late March. “They (pilots) feel they have been forced into contemplating potentially disruptive industrial action by a company that seems either unwilling or unable to negotiate in a professional and constructive manner,” said Forsa’s assistant general secretary, Ian McDonnell.<br/>