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BALPA consults ‘fed up’ Ryanair pilots over possible industrial action
Pilots union BALPA is consulting Ryanair pilots about industrial action and legal challenges to agency employment.
It says it has launched a survey in response to ‘growing dissatisfaction’ with the airline.
Pilots are being asked it they would be prepared to support industrial action or group legal action to establish employee or worker rights.
BALPA general secretary Brian Strutton said: "The desire amongst pilots to change Ryanair for the better is real. They tell us they are fed up with the way they are treated and that’s why they are saying no to big pay rises that have been offered by Ryanair management.
"Ryanair is unique in the complexity of its employment structures.
"Many pilots who fly for Ryanair are not in fact employed by them but are agency workers, supplied through several different third-, or even fourth-party companies.
"In our survey we are also asking whether the pilots would like us to test the legality of these structures through the courts. We will be guided by the Ryanair pilots in all of this work."
But Ryanair said BALPA’s claims ‘have no validity’.
"If Ryanair pilots wish to discuss or improve their pay or conditions, they can do so at any time using the established collective bargaining (base ERC) process, which has already delivered them industry leading pay (20% higher than competitor airline pilots), five-on, four-off rosters and unmatched job security," said a spokesman.
The airline also pointed out that a majority of its pilots in 2017 are direct employees.
"A minority are contractors, just like the contractor pilots which predominate among Norwegian, Wizz, easyJet and other low cost airlines in Europe, and the many contractors employed by hospitals, hotels, airports and media companies," the spokesman added.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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