British union sounds out Ryanair pilots over industrial action

A British union is asking Ryanair pilots pushing for better working conditions at the Irish budget airline whether they would be willing to take industrial action. Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers has cancelled around 20,000 flights, citing a shortage of standby pilots to ensure the smooth operation of its fleet of 400 planes. The crunch has prompted Ryanair to curb its growth plans for next summer and launch a drive to hire hundreds of new pilots and convince those who remain not to leave. But its retention efforts, including the offer of large pay rises with conditions attached, have so far not been well received by many pilots, who want better working conditions. A majority of pilots at Stansted, Ryanair's largest base, last week rejected an offer of higher pay. Many Ryanair pilots are employed via third-party agencies, though the airline says a majority are direct employees. The BALPA union said Thursday it was asking pilots whether they would support a group legal action to establish employee or worker rights. "The desire amongst pilots to change Ryanair for the better is real," BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said. "They tell us they are fed up with the way they are treated and that's why they are saying no to big pay rises that have been offered by Ryanair management," he said. Ryanair, which does not recognise unions, has so far resisted moves by pilots to get the company to take a new approach to industrial relations, saying it already has structures in place for them to negotiate with management.<br/>