Airline deal: Backing likely
After 20 hours of talks and just hours before all 480 pilots were to be suspended for refusing to train new pilots for the Belfast base, the company and the union came up with a package.
Under the deal, the pilots who secure a transfer from Dublin to Belfast will keep their defined benefit pension scheme. However, new recruits will have to settle for the lesser defined contribution pension.
A deal was done on seniority, which the airline had threatened to withhold from pilots who transferred. IMPACT and the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association secured the right to negotiate on behalf of Belfast pilots.
New pilots will have to make do with worse terms and conditions.
The agreement provides a framework for the opening of future bases on local terms and conditions, according to Aer Lingus.
The airline’s chief executive Dermot Mannion said he was delighted with the outcome of the talks.
Michael Landers of IMPACT said he could recommend it to his members and last night the union was to outline the full details to them in Dublin.
The meeting was delayed and at time of going to press there was still no indication whether all had agreed.
Now the airline must attempt to diffuse the timebomb that is the €20 million programme for continuous improvement, which could drive down workers’ earnings while cutting their holiday entitlement.
