Hope For Belfast In Aer Lingus Dispute

Industrial action over a pay dispute by Aer Lingus pilots in Belfast that was ready for take-off as early as Friday morning may now be close to settlement.

It has emerged this afternoon that the threat of action by the pilots in Belfast could soon be withdrawn after a set of proposals was worked out by the unions and the airline.

It will be put to members in the next 48 hours with the hope being that - while industrial action in the Irish Republic has been postponed - the action still being planned at Belfast and Gatwick could now also be avoided.

Earlier, there looked like little hope of resolution as, despite a settlement being reached over the parallel dispute in the Republic of Ireland, Belfast-based crew were ready to ground flights.

The news came after talks aimed at averting widespread disruption took place on Sunday evening at the Labour Relations Commission in Dublin.

Industrial action had been due to begin in Dublin on Tuesday with a work-to-rule in Belfast scheduled for 10 June, but while negotiations are continuing, Aer Lingus said it intended to operate a full schedule from all its bases from Tuesday onwards irrespective of any continuing problems.

However, details of the settlement reached over the dispute in the Republic of Ireland have not yet been released, while the talks on averting the actions in Belfast - and also at Gatwick - took place today.

Talks had been continued through the night aimed at avoiding travel wholesale chaos this week despite earlier dialogue between Aer Lingus management and the pilots union Ialpa collapsing in the early hours of Saturday morning at the Labour Relations Commission.

The parties regrouped yesterday evening, hoping to agree terms in the row over rostering arrangements.

Ialpa, the pilots' branch of trade union Impact, said last summer pilots were regularly forced to work six out of seven days and last week they served notice of industrial action.

If the strike action had gone ahead, some 30,000 passengers would have faced disruption to their travel plans.

Salary Levels

The dispute in the Irish Republic had centred on rota arrangements, while the issues in Northern Ireland mainly related to pay as since the Belfast 'hub' was opened, salaries in Belfast are said to be "uncompetitive" and that pilots there were the lowest paid in all the Aer Lingus bases.

Customers can change flights for between tomorrow and Friday free of charge on: www.aerlingus.com

(BMcN/BMcC)