Updated 22.05

AER ARANN PILOTS are to commence strike action from next Tuesday after they voted today by a 91% margin in favour of industrial action.

The strike will affect Aer Arran flights and regional flights operated on behalf of Aer Lingus.

The decision was taken following a vote by the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) and follows on from a year ago when strike action was averted over disagreements in relation to rosters and pay.

A spokesperson for the IMPACT trade union says that the current dispute centres  on the refusal by management to end a pay freeze and restore pay cuts implemented when the airline was in financial trouble. The pay freeze has been in place since 2008 and was followed by further cuts in 2009.

IMPACT lifted earlier strike notice in 2012 after both parties agreed to enter a tribunal to deal with pay related issues. Unions say it was agreed to review pay arrangements this year but the company says that the results of the tribunal were dependent on the subsequent performance of the airline. Aer Arann has described the union’s decision to ballot for strike action as “regrettable”:

It was agreed that the tribunal would take account of the company’s overall commercial performance. To support the process, we facilitated pilots and their advisers access to all commercial data of the company, including our restructuring and growth plans. Subsequent proposals made by the Tribunal were rejected by the pilots.

IMPACT says it has made “every effort reach an agreement with the company to avoid disruption.”

A spokesperson said the workers will strike next Tuesday and Wednesday with further stoppages on the following Saturday and Sunday.

First published 14.35