Freight airline ASL Holdings has engaged the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to break what it described as an impasse between the company and pilots who served a strike notice earlier this week.
The Irish Times reported on Tuesday that 90 members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) at the company will strike for 16 hours next Tuesday, December 16th.
The trade union has accused management of refusing to meet its negotiators at a crucial stage in talks on a deal covering union recognition, pay and conditions.
In a statement on Friday, ASL said it has now written to the WRC and the Ialpa seeking conciliation talks to break the “impasse”.
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“The airline hopes that conciliation talks in the WRC are the most appropriate way to find a mutually acceptable solution,” it said.
“ASL Airlines Ireland has written to IALPA asking that they accept an invitation to talks in the WRC, and to suspend their strike notice to allow these talks to proceed to resolution. ASL is willing to attend talks at the earliest convenience of the WRC.”
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The company said it believes that negotiations on a framework agreement with the pilots “took place in good faith”, and that a solution can be found with the assistance of the WRC.
“The current impasse centres on ASLI’s desire to ensure that there is no commercial conflict of interest between negotiators for the pilots and the airline,” it said.
“ASL understands that this same issue has been successfully resolved previously between other airlines, IALPA and the Fórsa Union.”
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The sides were due to meet on Tuesday, but the company cancelled, according to a union statement.
Capt Daniel Langan, Ialpa vice-president, said the union was “extremely disappointed” at ASL’s decision to cancel a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
However, he stressed that the union remained available to meet ASL at any time.
“We stand ready to negotiate pay, terms and conditions on behalf of our members,” said Capt Langan.
ASL operates airlines in Ireland, Belgium, France and the UK, as well as Africa, Asia and Australia.
The Swords, Co Dublin-based company delivers parcels for Amazon, DHL and FedEx, among others.
While it is not as well-known as passenger carriers, the company has significant businesses in the territories in which it operates.
