Pilot strike to take off

Unite, which represents pilots working for the Dublin-based airline CityJet, today notified the company of a series of 13 full-day work stoppages starting next Thursday (November 24).

The action follows an 82 per cent vote to escalate the limited industrial action commenced in September on foot of the company’s refusal to allow the WRC to refer issues in dispute to the Labour Court.

“In addition to our ongoing pay issues with CityJet, which the company refuses to allow the WRC to refer to the Labour Court in contravention of an agreement with Unite obliging them to attend the Court, the company is now threatening to terminate their agreement with Unite in respect of pilot representation,” said Unite Regional Officer Willie Quigley. “This would deny our members the right to be collectively represented by the union of their choice.”

“Other issues in dispute range from the company’s refusal to adequately compensate pilots who are being moved to CityJet’s Amsterdam base to the imposition to ‘Bond Payments’ to secure a job with the company,” Quigley added.

“Thanks to the dedication and hard work of CityJet employees, the airline has won several awards in recent years.  Unfortunately, thanks to their recent persistent refusal to engage constructively with our members, and to use mechanisms such as the WRC, they aren’t in line for any industrial relations prizes.

“The resolution of this dispute is in CityJet’s hands and as always Unite remains available for engagement directly with CityJet or under the auspices of the WRC.”

Unite has notified CityJet of a full 24-hour withdrawal of labour and strike pickets at the company’s Swords premises, starting at just after midnight on each of the following dates:

Thursday (November 24), Friday (November 25), Thursday (December 1), Friday (December 2), Thursday (December 8), Friday (December 9), Wednesday (December 14), Thursday (December 15), Friday (December 16), Tuesday (December 20), Wednesday (December 21), Thursday (December 22) and Friday (December 23)