Ryanair pilots in Ireland going on strike five days before Christmas

Irish-based Ryanair pilots are going on strike five days before Christmas.

The strike has been announced for December 20, as thousands of people try and make their way home for the holidays. Employees of the company who are  members  of the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA), which is a branch of IMPACT trade union, served airline management with notice of a one-day work stoppage later this month. A spokesperson for the Irish Airline Pilots' Association said:

"Irish-based directly-employed pilots, mostly captains, will withdraw their labour in an action that IMPACT says will either disrupt flights or generate substantial costs to the airline. "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'. "Although the number of employees involved in the strike is fewer than the total number of Irish-based Ryanair pilots, the action will have impact because planes cannot legally or safely fly without a captain. "The union has warned of further strike days if agreement is not reached."