The trade union representing Aer Lingus pilots, IMPACT, has declared a one-day strike to take place on 11 February. The move follows the overwhelming vote today in favour of strike action in the dispute with the company over the implementation of its survival plan.
Some 97% voted in favour on a turnout of 92%. The final tally was 475 for and 14 against. IMPACT said that compulsory redundancy notices must be withdrawn if a strike is to be avoided.
The decision to ballot, which was taken last week, centred on the call for 80 pilot redundancies out of a total of 530 at the airline and a cap on the severance package available to airline captains.
Aer Lingus said yesterday evening that it was prepared to offer the same redundancy terms to the captains as to other staff. In a statement, it called on IMPACT to confirm its acceptance of the survival plan as it had removed the union's publicly quoted reason for the dispute.
The company accused the union of refusing all change. It said that it could not accept keeping a surplus of 80 pilots for whom there was no work.
However, IMPACT last night insisted that pilots had not been offered the same redundancy terms as other Aer Lingus staff. Speaking on Morning Ireland, Michael Landers of IMPACT, welcomed an easing of the company's position. He insisted, however, that compulsory redundancy notices must be withdrawn if a strike is to be avoided.
On the same programme, Dan Loughrey, Director of Public Affairs for Aer Lingus, said that the deal on offer has eliminated any notion of discrimination against the pilots.
