Impact backs pay recommendation

Trade union Impact, which represents air traffic controllers, has said it intends to propose that its members accept the Labour Court’s recommendation to defer pay rises.

The Labour Court today issued a recommendation backing the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) proposal to defer payment of a pay increase which is due under the Towards 2016 national agreement.

The court has recommended that the first phase of a 3.5 per cent rise, which was due to come into effect on at the start of this year be paid with effect from next January 1st a second phase 2.5 per cent increase be paid from July 2011.

The court also recommended that money owed be paid into the pension fund as a once-off cash injection in light of the current deficit in the pension scheme.

The IAA and air traffic controllers have also been involved in a separate dispute in recent weeks over the introduction of new technology projects, a row which last week led to the dispute at airports which disrupted the travel plans of up to 20,000 passengers.

The Labour Court yesterday backed the IAA’s claim that the introduction of new projects represented normal ongoing change.