Irish based Ryanair pilots to strike Wednesday 20th December

By Adam Evans

A number of Irish-based Ryanair pilots will go on strike next week.

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association plan to walk out on Wednesday 20th December over the way they say the airline treats employee representatives.

Their union, IMPACT expects it to disrupt Ryanair flights or "generate substantial cost" for the company.

In a statement a spokersperson for IMPACT said: "The pilots backed industrial action by a margin of 94% to 6% in secret ballots conducted over the last week.

"The dispute is over Ryanair management’s refusal to enter direct negotiations with the European Employee Representative Council (EERC) or IALPA as the sole independent representative body for pilots working in the company. The airline has so far refused to recognise the EERC or IALPA, and insists that any discussion of pay and working conditions be conducted through management-controlled “employee representative councils."

The union has warned of further strike days if agreement is not reached.