Ryanair strike still set to take place on Thursday despite planned talks

Further discussions between union and airline officials are due to take place on 11 July

The Ryanair pilot’s strike is expected to go ahead on Thursday 12 July, despite the fact the budget airline and union officials are meeting for further talks tomorrow morning.

The Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA), a branch of Fórsa trade union, has accepted Ryanair’s invitation to meet the company on Wednesday 11 July.

A statement published by Fórsa yesterday confirmed the meeting, but said that industrial action was still “likely”.

Ryanair and union officials are in dispute over the issue of a seniority agreement for pilots.

Pilots are seeking a clearer system for dealing with issues such as base allocation, annual leave and matters related to length of service.

Fórsa said that, while the impact on Thursday’s flight schedules was unknown, it was determined to work towards resolving the matter.

Thousands of Ryanair passengers are likely to be affected in the event that the strike goes ahead.

According to the Irish Times, Ryanair promised to contact affected customers by text and email today with an update on contingency plans the airline has put in place.

Union officials were keen to meet in a confidential, neutral venue, rather than at Ryanair head offices in Swords, Co Dublin, the location originally proposed by the airline.

Ryanair’s chief people officer, Eddie Wilson, wrote to Fórsa’s national secretary, Angela Kirk, stating that the airline was prepared to meet pilots’ representatives at Dublin Airport.

Representatives from both groups are due to meet in the Seán Lemass Room in Terminal One at Dublin Airport tomorrow morning.

Last week, Ryanair’s cabin crew and ground staff called for a “fair living wage” in a 34-point list of demands, while cabin crew in Belgium, Italy and Portugal announced they would stage 48-hour strikes on 25 and 26 July, while their colleagues in Italy will stop work for 24 hours on 25 July.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which convened a meeting of a group called Cabin Crew United, has warned Ryanair could face a series of summer strikes unless it improves its treatment of staff.