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RYANAIR MANAGEMENT HAVE written to Dublin pilots warning them not to engage in any strike action or they will face a loss of benefits and cuts to pay.
The warning comes following a letter from the Irish pilots’ union Ialpa to Ryanair which states that the union will ballot its Ryanair members for industrial action if airline management does not engage with it over pilot pay and conditions.
Ryanair has repeatedly stated that it does not engage with third-party unions and all contract and pay negotiations are dealt with internally through its Employee Representative Councils (ERCs).
Ryanair pilots can be members of unions, but the airline does not recognise them when it comes to negotiating pay and conditions.
ERCs are employee representatives at each of the airline’s 86 bases across Europe and Northern Africa who enter negotiations with management.
Following on from Ryanair cancelling 2,100 flights between September and October and a further 18,000 between November and March, there have been widespread reports of discontent among pilots at the airline.
Pilots have demanded improved pay and conditions from the airline and the right to have union representation for collective bargaining across all of Europe.
Pilots at a number of bases – including Dublin, London Stansted and Madrid – have rejected proposals from management around pay and conditions.
(Pilots at other bases, including Belfast, Glasgow and Bournemouth have accepted pay proposals)
To achieve their aims, pilots across Europe unhappy with the ERC system set up the European Employee Representative Council (EERC) to advocate and bargain on behalf of all Ryanair workers.
Ryanair has also said repeatedly that it does not recognise the EERC and will not negotiate with pilots in this fashion.
Following on from months of back and forth, a pilot union in Italy has said its Ryanair members will be striking on 15 December, while in Portugal Ryanair members of a union have also voted to strike.
The letter
In the Ialpa letter to Ryanair, union president Captain Evan Cullen calls on management to engage with Ialpa over pilots’ pay and conditions.
Cullen states that if Ryanair fails to do this, “we reserve the right to ballot our members for industrial action up to and including strike action without any further notice to you”.
In response, Ryanair’s Chief People Officer Eddie Wilson wrote a letter addressed to the ERCs in Dublin and to all Dublin pilots, warning that the airline will meet any industrial action by pilots “head on”.
He said that Ryanair received a letter on behalf of the “Aer Lingus Pilot Union [referring to Ialpa], threatening industrial action by Ryanair Pilots in Ireland at Dublin, unless Ryanair recognises the Aer Lingus Pilots Union”.
“This simply will not happen,” Wilson wrote.
“If any such action occurs, then we must assume that Dublin Pilots – for the moment – no longer wish to deal directly with Ryanair and we will withdraw those benefits which are dependent on out direct dealing collective agreement,” he said.
This means the Dublin base will – until further notice – be frozen with no promotions for FOs (first officers) or SOs (second officers) or no transfers facilitated out of base.
Wilson goes on to say that monetary base allowances and annual allowances will all cease if any industrial action is undertaken.
He also said that the airline may be forced to rebasing some Dublin aircraft to “lower cost airports based elsewhere in Europe where our Pilots continue to deal directly with us”.
Cork, Shannon, Belfast
Wilson said that pilots in its Cork, Shannon and Belfast bases had voted in secret ballots and had recently approved amendments to each of their collective agreements.
He listed a number of benefits and wage increases that pilots there will now have, and said that Dublin pilots could also avail of these.
In a letter sent to Wilson on 23 November, a number of the ERCs from Dublin, Cork and Shannon expressed concern that pilots in Cork and Shannon had been invited to “take part in a voting process that has not been arranged by the pilots elected representatives”.
The ERCs were concerned that this process would “circumvent your own representation system” and said they had been led to believe the vote would be around pilots’ pay and conditions in the bases.
“We are not aware of any negotiations that have taken place in this instance and we are not clear on what basis pilots in Shannon or Cork are being asked to vote on something that has not been negotiated through or with their representatives,” the ERCs said.
They requested that the voting process organised for Cork and Shannon “be cancelled immediately”.
Dublin ERC
In his letter to Dublin pilots, Wilson states they could avail of pay increases if they follow the ERC process. He said that the increases would put Ryanair Dublin pilots 22% ahead of other low cost airlines in terms of pay.
“Everyone who joins Ryanair clearly understands that we do not negotiate with Pilot Unions,” said Wilson, referencing instead the ERC system.
He closed by saying management was available to meet with the Dublin ERC.
In response to a request for comment from TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson for Ryanair said:
We don’t comment on communications with our people.
Wow, so young. RIP Liam
‘I remember that summer in Dublin’
A voice so good he could be mistaken for Elton John. RIP.
I love his voice and I love their lyrics. The timeless music will live on in perpetuity, so sad that Liam won’t be around anymore to see the joy it brings. Rest in peace maestro. Thank you.
R.I.P. very sad to hear this.
What truly wonderful songs they were.
Summer in Dublin is iconic.
Sincere condolences to all his family and friends.
Thank you for the music.
Xxx
Rock n Roll will never forget him.
Very sad news RIP Liam loved your song Summer in Dublin.
One of the best if not the best band to come out of ireland and Liam was super talented
RIP.
@Eugene Larkin: don’t agree with that
@Eugene Larkin: bit of a stretch there lad
@James Lough: he is entitled to his opinion !!
Brilliant singer and songs from a great band. RIP Liam
So sad, had tickets to see them last May in the Purty Kitchen but was postponed. Can’t believe we won’t see him sing live again. RIP Liam your music will live on.
Sleep peacefully in your heavenly bed R.I.P LIAM
In the end he left on a Friday morning… RIP Liam
“So I’m leavin’ on Wednesday morning tryin’ to find a place where I can hear
The tunes of the birds and the sea on the rocks, where open roads always are near,
And if sometimes I tire of the quiet, and I want to walk back up that hill,
I’ll just get on the road and stick out my thumb.
I know that you’ll be there still”
Shocked and saddened to hear of Liam’s passing this morming. I first saw Bagatelle in 1982 when they played in Bandon and many times at Siamsa.
My sincere consolences to his family and bandmates. RIP Liam
Used to go to the Baggot Inn to hear him play. Great memories. Rest In Peace Liam.
Summer in Dublin always brings me back to my 21st birthday.
My then boyfriend and I spent a week in Dublin after celebrating my 21st birthday at home( no lavish parties then).
We stayed in Leopardstown and got the 46A bus into town everyday. It was a lovely time and I never hear Summer in Dublin without being reminded of it.
RIP Liam and thanks for the memories
@Mary Walshe: I spent a few years in College in Dublin many years ago and just that mention of the 46A in that gorgeous song brings me back… it really conjures up the Dublin I knew and loved and which I fear is long gone. RIP Liam.
Saw them in the Jet club in Ennis nearly 40 years ago. Great gig. May he Rest in peace
RIP
Honored to have wrote the bands biography and worked with liam. musical genuis
@Brian Kennedy: do you have a link for it?
@Brian Kennedy: ‘to have wrote’!
@Brian Kennedy: I got my copy today looking forward to reading it. Gabrielle
@Seosamh: book is on http://www.briankennedywriter.com (just click Buy Now) or on Amazon (Uk) paperback or kindle
Condolences, some really great and well structured songs deserved more attention..
Ah so young .. very sad I had the privilege of seeing Bagatelle Live a few times in Dublin and other places in Ireland, they were an amazing live Band..RIP Liam
So sorry to hear this news. Summer in Dublin was a classic . Condolences to his family .
So saddend to wake up to this news. An outstanding musician and songwriter. Remember Summer in Dublin a No 1 hit in May 1980 when I came to Dublin. Discovered the 46A bus went to Dun Laoighre.. RIP Liam
Buíochas as an ceol iontach; mairfidh sin go deo, agus do ainm leis.
Shocked and saddened to hear of Liam’s passing this morning. I first saw Bagatelle in 1982 when they played in Bandon and many times at Siamsa.
My sincere consolences to his family and bandmates. RIP Liam
So sorry to hear about the death of Liam Reilly yesterday.
A sad day for music.
I toured with Bagatelle back in the early 80s when we worked with real sound systems!!
At the time we were the biggest in the country
A lot of hard work but serious craic!
We met up a few years ago (after 34 years!!) and they were great crack and courteous.
Good times indeed .
RIP Liam.
Such a talent. Summer in Dublin hit a cord with so many….. so relatable. It will live on for ever.
RIP Paddy
Rip… Excellent singer, songwriter..love their rendition of Jersey Girl… Going on to Spotify now to have a listen to some timeless classics.
Had tickets to see them in the Purty Kitchen last May but it was postponed. Can’t believe we won’t see them live again. RIP Liam your music will live on
Ireland’s Elton RIP…
His songs will live forever..
Bagatelle were a bit before my time but I did have the pleasure of seeing him perform back in the 90s at a corporate event. I genuinely felt for him because he performed his set during the meal which seemed to me to be a bit odd. Still had what it took and did a great show. A fine talent gone too soon.
RIP
RIP liam
Remember buying their Summer in Dublin album in little record shop in Wexford St. In 1979 and still have it. Played it non stop, analysised the cover, the song words etc visualised the songs and played regularly.
12 amazing songs.
RIP Liam such a great band to go see in the 80′s, Bagatelle always drew a crowd, Liam has left us with fabulous songs, too young.
R.I.P Liam such a talented musician your music will always live on.
Second violin and Leeson St Lady absolute classics. Listened to the band through the ‘80’s and thankfully someone brought me to see them in The Olympia a couple of years ago.
RIP Liam My prayers and thoughts are with you and you family .You were a legend .
RIP Liam, I loved Bagatelle
Great singer and band. Sad news to start the year. R.I.P. Liam
Such sad news, Summer in Dublin just takes me back to my youth. Could jump on a 46A only for the restrictions. RIP Liam
yesterday.
A sad day for music.
I toured with Bagatelle back in the early 80s when we worked with real sound systems!!
At the time we were the biggest in the country
A lot of hard work but serious craic!
We met up a few years ago (after 34 years!!) and they were great crack and courteous.
Good times indeed .
RIP Liam.
“As the liffey as it stank like hell”. Never a truer was word sung.
Johnny Set Em Up Tonight.
Sad to hear of his passing at such a young age. Thoughts are with his family.
May he rest in peace
These guys were probably one of the best bands if not the best band to come of ireland and Liam was the the King, long live bagatelle music.
RIP what a legend of a man thought are with he’s family.
Never realised that Bagatelle were from Dundalk. 65 is very young to die these days, RIP Liam.
So sad-such a great talent. RIP
Olympic Ballroom in Newcastle West ..County Limerick ..lined up outside ,till We packed in like sardines then onto Chip wagon for a Belly full of grease & on out toward some gap with Molly in the Ford Capri…windows down slapping ould tape into Dashboard banging out Lesson st Lady …Thanks for the memories Liam may you rest in peace…
Play your second violin now Liam. Rest easy sir.
Ana-cheoltóir! Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam
Sincerest condolences to Liams family and friends from Killarney
Thank you for the music,Eternal rest Liam ,until we meet again.
Summer in Dublin. Brings back so many memories. And I was 14.
R.I.P.
Sad news respect what a gent r.i.p.
Very sad,another great loss RIP
RIP Liam. So sad. Condolences to all his family and friends
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