AER LINGUS pilots are not renowned for their militancy. Most people assume they earn so much that a percentage point here or there is too grubby an issue for them to worry about. But, as the accompanying table shows, almost exactly half of Aer Lingus pilots earn between £22,000 and £28,000.
These are flight officers, co pilots who aspire one day to captaincy rank. The captaincy grade is significantly higher, running from £28,167 to £65,624. But there are only 52 pilots at the top of the scale.
Under the Cahill plan Aer Lingus bought out 60 of the oldest and highest paid pilots. Their replacements tend to be much younger. In a company where seniority is the main mechanism for promotion there will be few opportunities for younger pilots to achieve greater responsibility and higher pay.
Instead, they are deserting to the competition. Even though in some cases this means reimbursing the airline with the cost of their training, young pilots are finding the option attractive.
Recruits have to agree to refund a bond of £100,000, to cover the cost of training, if they leave early. This reduces over seven years. One pilot who recently left after six years' service found it profitable to pay off the outstanding £19,000 and take a job with Sabena. He is now earning 50 per cent more than he was with Aer Lingus.
But people need not look so far from home. Young co pilots can earn well over £30,000 a year in basic pay with Ryanair and Translift. If they win a captaincy they can earn up to £48,000, plus extra payments based on the number of times they fly. Such a productivity option is not available with Aer Lingus.
It is easy to see why Aer Lingus pilots are angry at the company's decision to reject the majority report prepared by the Pilots Pay Review Tribunal. But it is also easy to see why the company does not want to concede a 17 per cent across the board pay review which would add to its operating costs without stopping the haemorrhage of younger pilots to other airlines.
The irony of the situation is that Pilots' Pay Review Tribunal was set up to avoid precisely the type of confrontation that has now arisen. In fact, it has made it worse, because both sides are accusing the other of twisting the evidence presented to the tribunal and, in the soured atmosphere that has emerged, there is no obvious alternative forum to sort out their differences.
The incident at the weekend involving cabin crew staff, members of SIPTU, underlines the tense situation that now exists in Aer Lingus. SIPTU has its own reasons for being displeased with the company.
Last month the Labour Court reversed a recommendation over cabin crew staffing levels on one of the New York routes because it found Aer Lingus had supplied it with false information.
Last week should have been a time of celebration in the company because it became the first civil aviation company in the EU to negotiate a European Works Council. But the good news has been drowned in increasing rancour over other issues.