Aer Lingus regional pilots begin vote on potential strike

Aer Lingus regional pilots began voting on a possible strike on Thursday, accusing their employer of failing to enter collective bargaining talks. Members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA), affiliated to trade union Fórsa, at Emerald Airlines, which flies Aer Lingus’s regional network, have been seeking to meet management to discuss pay and working conditions. Owen Kelly, IALPA principal officer, confirmed that the union was “balloting for industrial action, up to and including strike action” so pilots could send Emerald a clear message. “The company does not recognise the trade union as the representative negotiating body for its pilots,” he said. Voting began on Thursday and will continue until May 18th, raising the possibility that the union could serve strike notice on the airline ahead of the June bank holiday weekend. IALPA officer Daniel Langan said Emerald’s refusal to engage with the union had surprised pilots.<br/>