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Page context: Ryan-Be-Fair > News archive > Pilots Win Major Court Victory Over Ryanair!
28 January 2005
The Irish Airline Pilots Union (IALPA) which is part of the Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union (IMPACT) welcomed the judgement by the Irish Labour Court on 25 January which now guarantees an investigation into a complaint lodged by pilots against Ryanair.
The pilots had been informed by Ryanair that if they joined a trade union over the next 5 years they would have to commit to paying a bond of 15,000 euros for training to fly the new aircraft which is being introduced into the Ryanair fleet. If they do not undertake the training, the pilots were told they faced redundancy when the older aircraft were phased out. Other reported threats included no pay increases, no promotions, cancellation of staff travel and increased restrictions on taking holidays. In addition the first eight pilots offered the new training contract subsequently lodged a complaint as they believed they were being victimised.
Whilst recognising the voluntarist nature of Irish industrial relations nevertheless the judgement points out “the need for new measures to afford additional support to employees where there are no arrangements for independent negotiation on pay and conditions”.
Ryanair has already stated in its papers to the US Securities and Exchange Commission that “it does not conduct formal binding negotiations with collective bargaining units as is the case with many other airlines”. Despite this position the company was now trying to argue that it did negotiate. Ryanair however, failed to convince the court that its Employee Representative Committees were independent collective bargaining forums. Indeed the court concluded that whilst Ryanair communicates with its employees on pay and conditions “it does not normally or routinely engage in collective bargaining in respect of the relevant grade, group or category of employees or their representatives”.
The Labour Court judgment establishes that the relevant Act applies. This means that the Court is now entitled to hear the IALPA/IMPACT claim that Ryanair pilots should be given a copy of their Terms and Conditions of Employment.This case was in abeyance until the ruling came through on Tuesday’s judgement and will now progress through the usual procedures. A hearing and finding is expected relatively quickly as the Act lays down strict requirements in this regard.
The finding also means that the complaint regarding victimisation in the workplace can be heard by an Irish Rights Commissioner.
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