Aer Lingus has withheld issuing legal redundancy notices to ten junior pilots. They had been informed through their union, IMPACT, that they were set to be laid off this morning.
An airline spokesman insisted that it still intends to pursue up to 80 pilot redundancies and that ten junior pilots would be among that number.
However, Aer Lingus has decided to inform pilots "of all the facts" relating to the dispute before issuing the legal notices over the next few days.
This comes after yesterday's unsuccessful talks between management and the pilots' union, IMPACT. Aer Lingus says that it needs to reduce its roster of pilots by 80 more if its survival plan is to succeed. This comes on top of redundancies already agreed.
The union has called a general meeting of pilots for next week and is recommending industrial action, up to and including strike action, on the issue.
The redundancies are being made on a phased-in basis. Assistant General Secretary Michael Landers has said that the union was available in the meantime for talks with the airline's management.
The pilots have rejected an early retirement package offered by the airline, which, they say, offers considerably less than the voluntary redundancy package offered to other staff. The airline maintains that it is not in a financial position to offer equal terms to pilots.
