Ryanair strike set to go ahead despite talks

RYANAIR pilots have agreed to talks tomorrow morning in Terminal One at Dublin Airport – but in a sign of how bad relationships are, they will not meet at the airline’s HQ.

A letter from union Fórsa last night stated it was looking forward to engaging in the discussions.

But it adds: ‘For the avoidance of any doubt we are not agreeing to future meetings in Airside [Ryanair’s base in Dublin] or DAA [Dublin Airport Authority] offices until a relationship of mutual respect and goodwill exists between us.’

However, the union said it still expects Thursday’s planned industrial action for better terms and conditions will go ahead.

Fórsa wrote to the company yesterday afternoon to confirm talks could take place at a ‘neutral’ venue.

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa), which is a branch of Fórsa, plan to strike in a dispute over transfers, promotion, annual leave and other issues governed by length of service.

The strike could disrupt thousands of holidaymakers. This follows the Fórsa statement saying that the union ‘expects that Thursday’s scheduled industrial action will go ahead’.

The union said that while the effect of industrial action on Thursday’s flight schedules remains unknown, it remained determined to work toward resolving the outstanding issue of a seniority agreement for pilots.

‘Fórsa expects that Thursday’s scheduled industrial action will go ahead,’ said a spokesman.

Ialpa last night issued guidelines to members as to what to expect during Thursday’s planned 24-hour strike, including the fact that they will not be receiving strike pay.

The document, headed ‘Private and Confidential for Ryanair pilots ONLY’, warned that management may seek to break the unity of pilots by engaging in the ‘FUD’ tactic of creating Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

Ialpa advised pilots at all times to maintain the highest safety standards.

The union also told members that only directly employed pilots who were balloted can strike or participate in a picket.

It told members it will picket at the airport, with advice to dress smartly in black trousers, a white pilot shirt and black tie.

Ialpa also said pilots should prepare for verbal abuse from passing cars, but advised them not to react or respond.

The 24-hour strike action by Ryanair’s Irish-based pilots is due to start at 1am on Thursday – with the prospect of future strikes by cabin crew in other European countries also looming later this month.

Ryanair has predicted that its customers ‘should not be disrupted’, but travel experts estimate that up to 120 flights are at risk of being affected, with up to 35 potentially being disrupted or cancelled.

Strike action has spread to other EU countries, with crew in Italy due to hold a 24-hour strike on July 24 and cabin crew in Spain, Belgium and Portugal holding a strike on July 25-26.

There’s a prospect of future strikes