Ryanair has announced that it has concluded a five-year pay deal with pilots at all its 76 bases across Europe.
The airline said it has commenced similar negotiations with its cabin crew.
It said 90% of staff members at its largest cabin crew bases in Dublin and London-Stansted had voted in a secret ballot to accept five-year deals incorporating what it described as pay increases, improved rosters and rapid promotion opportunities.
Ryanair has always refused to negotiate with unions.
The airline had argued that it had internal non-union collective bargaining and a constitutional right not to engage with unions - a view upheld in a 2008 Supreme Court case taken by the pilots union IMPACT.
The ruling was a major setback to unions as it further undermined their role in collective bargaining where an employer refused to recognise them.
Ryanair said the current deal had been concluded following weeks of direct negotiations between the company and its elected cabin crew representatives using what it called "long-established collective bargaining structures".
In a statement Ryanair said the deal would deliver guaranteed annual increases in pay and allowances for the next four years; improved fixed rosters involving five days on, and three days off; improved sickness benefits, and also new cabin crew uniforms.
The airline also said there would be greater opportunities for promotions as Ryanair is embarking on an eight-year expansion involving the acquisition of 400 additional aircraft.
However, Ryanair has refused to supply specific details of the pay deal with staff.
A company spokesperson told RTÉ News: "Since the details of our pay agreements are confidential, I'm afraid we won't be disclosing any further information other than what was in our release today."
Waiting for #Ryanair specifics re prev pay rates, new pay/allowance rates, new sickness benefits and esp who deal applies to (contractors??)
— Ingrid Miley (@ingridmileyRTE) November 25, 2015
Ryanair's Chief People Officer Eddie Wilson said new cabin crew negotiations will now commence at all of Ryanair's 74 other cabin crew bases.
He said the fact that Ryanair was continuing to use its improving financial performance to improve the pay and conditions of frontline people underlined the long-standing success of Ryanair's collective bargaining model.
Mr Wilson said that model was delivering at a time when their counterparts in other European airlines were facing job cuts, pay cuts and engaging in industrial action.
He said Ryanair customers had never been disrupted by a strike involving Ryanair personnel - adding they believed that the improved pay deals would maintain that record until at least 2020.
Ryanair has refused to supply specific details of the pay deal.
A company spokesperson told RTÉ News: "Since the details of our pay agreements are confidential, I'm afraid we won't be disclosing any further information other than what was in our release today."
The airline declined to answer the following questions:
1. What were the previous pay rates for pilots and cabin crew, and what have they risen to?
2. What is the pay progression for the next five years (eg the same percentage increase every year)?
3. What were the previous allowances and how specifically will they increase over the next five years?
4. What sickness benefits did staff have previously, and what are the new arrangements?
5. Will staff have to buy their own new cabin crew uniforms?
6. Precisely what promotional opportunities will be there for staff?
7. Who do the new pay rates apply to? Ie, is there a difference between direct employees and contractors hired through Brookfield and other agencies?
8. What quid pro quo did employees/contractors have to give in terms of productivity or other concessions/assurances?
If anyone wants to contact me with details of the new @Ryanair pay deal, feel free!
— Ingrid Miley (@ingridmileyRTE) November 25, 2015
Irish Airline Pilots’ Association President Evan Cullen tonight said: "The confusing statement today by Ryanair is a new low in misrepresenting the real situation that pilots face in establishing normal industrial relations with their employer.
"Some simple facts may help to illustrate the confusing situation that pilots have to deal with:
"The agreements relate to less than 50% of all pilots in Ryanair.
"There is no 'collective agreement' for all pilots - there are 75 separate agreements, one for each Ryanair base!
"Secret ballots were not conducted at every base.
"Collective bargaining under Ryanair's system involves denying pilots the entitlement to negotiate together across their bases.
"Elected representatives of all pilots in Ryanair remain ready and available to engage in normal and meaningful collective bargaining on behalf of all pilots in Ryanair, and not just a small minority of pilots that Ryanair chooses to engage with."
