Ryanair loses judicial battle to block British pilots strikes



[ad_1]

Ryanair plane taking offCopyright of the image
Reuters

The London High Court will allow UK-based Ryanair pilots to begin a strike on wages and working conditions on Thursday and Friday.

Earlier, the airline won an offer to prevent Irish-based pilots from going on strike, but more of its pilots came from the UK.

Ryanair said its goal would be to minimize disruption for passengers and to be able to execute its "full flight schedule".

However, he said that he could not rule out some delays.

Ryanair's lawyers told the Irish court that the Forsa Pilots' Union, which represents about 180 Ryanair pilots, had not let the negotiations come to an end before the strike was announced.

  • Ryanair pilots based in Dublin vote in favor of strike
  • What's going on with my vacation flights?

Pilots can be recruited elsewhere in Europe to be replaced during a strike.

Ryanair indicated that it would inform passengers of any changes to their flights by email and SMS. "If you have not received an SMS or e-mail from us, your flight is scheduled to work," he said. Customers can also visit their website, he said.

In early August, Ryanair pilots in the UK joined the pilots in Ireland to vote in favor of a pay strike and conditions.

The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) has announced two walkouts of 48 hours, one from August 22 to 23 and the other from September 2 to 4.

But Ryanair has resorted to the courts of London and Dublin to try to block the action claims, which led Balpa to accuse the airline tactical "bully boy".

"We are convinced that we want to settle the dispute and bring a positive change to Ryanair," said Balpa Secretary General Brian Strutton, welcoming the ruling. "Ryanair pilots are looking for the same kind of policies and agreements as those in other airlines, and our demands are not unreasonable."

Threat of loss of employment

Balpa's decision to pull out came just days after the low-cost airline announced job losses as a result of a 21% drop in quarterly profits, due to the costs. higher fuel and staff and lower ticket prices.

The union reported that 72% of its members of the company took part in the vote and 80% of them supported the strike.

However, Ryanair said that less than 50% of its British pilots were members of Balpa and that among them, only 57% voted in favor of industrial action.

In a letter to Balpa, Darrell Hughes, director of HR strategy and operations at Ryanair, said that senior captains were paid up to £ 180,000 a year and that, for this reason, the rate of Renewal of the pilot had been reduced to zero "in recent months".

"In this difficult period for British pilots faced with base cuts and closures, Balpa should work with Ryanair to preserve British pilot jobs, not to endanger them by an inappropriate and unjustified disruption of travel plans. our customers weeks before the threat of a Brexit without agreement.We remain available for interviews at your convenience. "

Shortage of pilots

On July 31, Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary warned the staff in a video message to prepare for layoffs, saying the airline had 900 pilots in excess, as well as members of the airline. 39, cabin crew.

He said the two weakest markets were Germany, where Ryanair was facing fierce price competition, and the UK, where there were uncertainties about Brexit.

"The summer has been difficult, we are facing a very difficult winter," he said in the video, seen by the BBC.

But Captain Tilmann Gabriel, a former pilot who teaches aviation management at City, University of London, told BBC Radio 5 Live that the pilots were missing, it would take 800,000 more over the next two decades.

"That means we have to produce … 110 pilots a day [for] We will produce much less, he said. So, of course, the price goes up. "

& # 39; Curt and contemptuous & # 39;

In a tweet, Ryanair hailed the judgment of the Irish court.

He said that all Ryanair flights departing from Irish airports would now take off normally.

The airline had already warned that the 180 pilots who were to strike on Thursday, August 22nd and Friday, August 23 would jeopardize travel plans of vacationers if the action continued.

Judge McDonald told the Dublin High Court that he would prevent the pilots' union, Forsa, from "organizing, directing or endorsing, directly or indirectly," a strike by its members Thursday and Friday.

Forsa's lawyers had told the court that Ryanair had been "abrupt and reluctant" to a 30-page proposal that it had submitted to the airline on terms of remuneration.

Earlier in August, British Ryanair pilots joined the Irish pilots to vote in favor of a pay and conditions strike.


Are you ready to travel with Ryanair today or tomorrow? Get in touch by email

Please include a contact number if you wish to speak to a BBC reporter. You can also contact us in the following ways:

  • WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
  • Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
  • Send photos / videos to
  • Upload your photos / videos here
  • Send an SMS or an MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
  • Please, read our conditions of use and confidentiality

[ad_2]

Source link