Ryanair pilots are to suspend a planned one-day strike on Wednesday after company management agreed to recognise the union as the representative of Irish-based pilots.
In a statement issued last night, Impact said it has agreed to meet Ryanair management tomorrow evening, but stressed that it is available to meet sooner.
The union asked management to release its Ryanair pilot representatives to prepare for and attend the meeting.
“The union acknowledged the principled determination of Ryanair pilots, which it said had made this breakthrough possible, and said it looked forward to establishing a positive relationship with Ryanair company management,” it said a statement.
Impact added that it hoped the suspension of industrial action would remove any uncertainty for passengers intending to travel on Wednesday and said it would be making no further comment until after the meeting with Ryanair tomorrow.
The strike action had been planned by some pilots who, as members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA), balloted in favour of the action over Ryanair’s failure to recognise trade unions.
IALPA joined Impact in 1998, and while Ryanair has since said it will offer recognition to unions representing pilots, Impact says it will not withdraw the threat of strike action until it has its meeting with the airline.
Some 117 IALPA-affiliated pilots were due to take part in the strike.
Impact has been joined by unions in Britain, Germany, Italy and Portugal in seeking recognition from Ryanair, with meetings expected to be held across the week. Over the weekend the airline revealed it is to meet with the German union on Wednesday, and with their Portuguese counterparts the next day.
The British and Italian pilots’ unions have agreed to meet with Ryanair in early January.
The Italian and German unions cancelled proposed industrial actions, which were set for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Ryanair is also facing calls to extend its recognition of unions beyond its pilots.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said baggage handlers and other workers are also seeking union recognition.
“We can’t have a situation where there is union recognition available to one category of workers and not another, particularly, if it can look like discrimination against lower paid workers,” said Mr Howlin.
