Labour Court recommends Aer Lingus pay pilots first 5% phase

The Labour Court recommended that Aer Lingus pay the first 5% phase of a proposed pay increase to pilots from its proposed date, and that the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) withdraw its strike notice. The Court signed its recommendation on 24 October 1996. The dispute concerned pilots' remuneration and pay drift. IALPA sought implementation of an independent tribunal's majority recommendation for increases of 5% from 1 October 1996, 5% from 1 July 1997 and 7% from 1 May 1998. Aer Lingus rejected that recommendation and argued that full implementation could have serious financial effects. The Court said the pilots had a strong case, but that it could not fully assess the financial evidence. It also recommended that the parties agree terms for an outside expert to examine the company's viability in the context of full implementation, including productivity and junior pilots' pay.