Ryanair, UK Pilot Union Agree Recognition

Ryanair has signed a recognition agreement with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) to represent its UK-based pilots, in a first for the low cost carrier.

The airline announced in December that it was willing to recognise unions after several Europe-wide pilot unions threatened strikes during the December holiday travel period.

Ryanair welcomed “the positive and constructive engagement of BALPA which led to the formal signing of this recognition agreement within five weeks of the first meeting.”

In addition to union recognition, Ryanair pilots have been seeking collective bargaining agreements and contract changes after the airline suffered a torrid time during 2017’s peak summer travel season, when pilot shortages led to thousands of flight cancellations.

BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton called the agreement “historic”.

“While we were initially sceptical about Ryanair’s sincerity in offering recognition to us and other unions, our conversations and meetings with them have shown that they are genuine in wanting a constructive trade union relationship,” he said.

During the recognition negotiations, the airline and union agreed to a pay offer being put to pilots giving them increases of up to 20 percent. Pilots at all of Ryanair’s UK bases voted during January to accept the offer. The UK accounts for about 25 percent of Ryanair’s fleet and pilot numbers.

The Dublin-based carrier said the recognition agreement and pay increases show how serious it is “about working constructively with unions that are willing to work constructively with us.”

It called on other European pilot unions, including those in its home country Ireland, “to stop wasting time and act quickly to deliver 20 percent pay increases to our pilots in February, and conclude formal recognition agreements, which they are presently sitting on.”

BALPA’s Strutton also urged Ryanair to agree deals with pilot unions in other countries and with cabin crew unions.