Ryanair to withdraw sacking threats as pilots accept deal
Earlier this week, Ryanair had issued the seven with redundancy notices, effective from November, as a ten-month dispute over the matter reached its climax.
The dispute, over who was to pay the €15,000 cost of retraining for the new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, was complicated by company demands that pilots drop their cases against the airline.
However, following clarification this week that pilots will be allowed to maintain their cases, the seven yesterday wrote to Ryanair accepting a deal on offer.
That deal will see the seven pilots pick up the training tab while continuing on with Labour Court, Rights Commissioner and High Court cases against Ryanair.
The seven are part of a larger group of 64 pilots who have taken High Court proceedings claiming that Ryanair’s refusal to negotiate with a union is a breach of their constitutional rights.
Most of those pilots are now expected to also demand and receive the same terms as the initial seven, leaving Ryanair facing a claims bill potentially running into tens of millions.
Ryanair last night declined to comment or confirm they would now withdraw redundancy notice following the pilot’s acceptance of the deal. Ryanair’s PR firm said the company would not comment until Monday.
President of the Irish Airline Pilots Association (IAPA) Captain Evan Cullen said he could not comment directly on the latest development because Ryanair did not engage in collective bargaining, and the issue only involved the pilots and the airline.
However, he encouraged all Ryanair pilots to continue with their victimisation claims against the company.
“I understand that all seven pilots have undertaken to pay for training and associated costs while continuing with all cases against the company and Ryanair is to withdraw the redundancy notice,” he said.
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